This was not quite the way Enner Valencia would have wanted to bring up such a milestone.
The former West Ham United and Everton striker had never before hit 30 goals in a single club campaign. Valencia, when dreaming of reaching that magical number, may have imagined a last-gasp winner or a stunning volley. Perhaps the sort of towering, spring-heeled header he made his trademark during a decade with the Ecuador national team.
In the end, Valencia’s 30th of a staggering campaign counted for little, in the grand scheme of things; a consolation in an eventual 4-2 defeat by arch rivals Besiktas in Sunday’s Istanbul derby.
“We knew the importance of winning this game,” Valencia sighed after a six-goal thriller lit up by a wonderful effort from Besiktas’ one-time Southampton, Norwich and Birmingham City winger Nathan Redmond (Sozcu).
“Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out the way we wanted. This match was very important for us on the way to the championship. Things are more difficult for us (now). There are still many more matches.
“We are Fenerbahce, so we have to fight until the end.”
Former Everton and West Ham striker Enner Valencia in stunning form
With Galatasaray triumphing 1-0 over Adana Demirspor earlier in the weekend, the gap at the top of the Turkish Super Lig table now stands at nine points. Second-place Fenerbahce, meanwhile, are closer to third than they are to the top these days, any hopes Valencia had of lighting a fire under their title charge extinguished by a Besiktas side inspired by Redmond and another former Premier League benchwarmer in Cenk Tosun.
The Super Lig’s Golden Boot award is, at least, a nice consolation prize for a striker who, at the age of 33, has never looked better.
La Liga giants Barcelona showed an interest in the one-time Everton loanee a couple of months ago. But, while that ship may have sailed, Valencia can still look back on a remarkable campaign with a great deal of pride.
30 goals from a man who celebrates his 34th birthday in November. 30 goals from a man who had never before broken the 20-goal barrier, let alone the 30-goal one. Thirty goals in just 24 starts.
“When I saw the news (about Barcelona), I thought they were making fun of me. I said; ‘I guess it’s some kind of joke’. Then I started seeing the news everywhere,” Valencia beams.
“If you are on the radar of a club like Barcelona, you are doing your job properly.”
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