Sardar Azmoun might have thought the long wait was coming to an end as he guided a header towards the Augsburg goal during Bayer Leverkusen’s first home fixture of the Bundesliga season on Saturday afternoon.
That was, of course, until visiting goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz sprang into life, clawing the ball away from danger while ensuring that Azmoun’s barren run goes on with no end in sight. It’s now six games since he found the back of the net in Leverkusen colours. In fact, since joining the German giants from Zenit St Petersburg in the winter, he’s scored just once in 14 games across all competitions.
“You saw two or three situations where he was lacking a bit of the final explosiveness to assert himself,” Leverkusen coach Gerardo Seoane said towards the end of last season; Admitting that Azmoun was struggling to find match sharpness in his new home.
“We all know it’s difficult to judge what percentage level he’s at. But there is still a lot missing.”
Seoane was hoping that, after a full pre-season, Azmoun would go into 2022/23 chomping at the bit; Waiting to burst out of the blocks and show the cynics what all the fuss is about. Instead, after another underwhelming display for both player and club – Leverkusen were booed off after a shock 2-1 home defeat – Azmoun appears no closer to silencing his critics.
Tottenham Hotspur wanted Sardar Azmoun before Bundesliga move
Azmoun, once labelled the ‘Iranian Messi’, had to wait for his big break in one of Europe’s major leagues.
“I had offers,” Azmoun said back in September 2020, having been denied a big-money move by a Zenit side determined to retain their star striker. “From Lyon, Roma, Bayer (Leverkusen), and Tottenham Hotspur
“But all the offers were rejected.”
Tottenham, at the time, were looking to bring in competition for Harry Kane, eventually settling for Benfica loanee Carlos Vinicius. Azmoun’s form since moving to Leverkusen won’t have many in North London wishing they could turn back the clock.
Of course, no one is writing off Azmoun just yet. He’s still new to German soil after all. And, if Gikiewicz hadn’t been in such fine form on Saturday, this wouldn’t even be a topic worth discussing.
But as long as goals remain elusive, Azmoun will have a target on his back and a point to prove.
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