Beautiful article translated from Italian about Henry after the Inter match[R]

A bit late...yes i know but still a very good read

Olivero's report on Arsenal's Thierry Henry's performance in the San Siro against Inter was published in La Gazetta dello Sport, and Tom Bullen
has kindly translated it from the original Italian.

Hats Off, Monsieur Henry

Some players, when they have the will, are uncontrollable. Yesterday evening Thierry Henry had all the will in the world. There are players whom when they attack you, there is no escape.

Yesterday evening Thierry Henry massacred Inter. They were combusted, opened, torn apart and destroyed.

And the law of champions means Inter could have few complaints with the result.

Nothing controversial, no sorrow: only open applause for Mr. Attack. In the last thirty metres of the pitch Henry can play everywhere: on the
right, in the centre, or on the left. And he can do anything: he dribbles, he passes, he beats people, he shoots, and he crosses. Always aware of his
companions, every run they make is potentially lethal.

In the first ten minutes, yesterday evening, the Frenchman seemed above all to be taking measurements: of the field, his companions and of his adversaries. Javier Zanetti and Cordoba had not fallen for the feints and a couple of times had taken the ball from him. Then, Henry takes the ball
and hides it from everybody, bearing down on Inter with the force of a tornado.

And Inter seemed resigned to it, just like when you know that the tornado is arriving: you shut yourself inside; you lock the doors and windows, and put
your car in the garage. But then he decides how much damage he inflicts: he, the tornado. And in the San Siro Thierry Henry inflicted immense
damage.

In the second half he transformed the left side of the pitch into a motorway, travelling at double the speed of the black and blue defenders: unstoppable.

The first goal seems taken from a videogame: the combination Pires-Henry-Cole-Henry, all one-touch passes skimmed across the surface, is a jewel of incredible beauty. From that moment ahead the game was transformed into a concert: La Scala (Milan's Opera house) of football applauded the spell of a shocking soloist, accompanied by a grand
chorus.

Henry created Ljungberg's goal, then he excited his fans with actions that contained inspiration and class: spurts of speed, fast breaks, and tricks to
get past Javier Zanetti (and there aren't many players faster or more determined than Zanetti in Europe) and his diagonal shot from the left just
past the far post. Goodbye Inter, the tornado has destroyed you.

The third goal began with an Inter corner and left Materazzi on the floor in the penalty area. Lehmann commented with acidity: "the Inter defender
behaved like Italians always do: He was not even touched". Henry filled up the thoughts of the Inter manager Zaccheroni: "We had to concede him little
space". Don't lose sleep, Zac: if this player wants space he takes it himself.

And at the end of the contest Thierry spoke to the journalists in Italian: "It was a magical evening - Thierry emphasizes - It was a difficult game,
because we had to win. But after the home match we received a lot of criticism: we had heard them say that Arsenal was not a strong team and that
it would be difficult to qualify for the last sixteen. Well, at the Saint Siro we have proved the opposite. And these goals make me happy because
they give us the chance of qualification". To win away in Europe is never easy; to succeed in Milan gives even more satisfaction. "That's true - Henry
agrees - but we try to impose our game wherever we play. Football, however, is strange: Inter had come to England to defend above all else and had
won 3-0. In the match here I seemed to have more space: the field was...bigger.
Now we must think of beating Lokomotiv Moscow because promotion to the last sixteen, that had seemed far away, is now close but not still a certainty. And I want to go very far. Also Inter can qualify by winning in Kiev and the black and blues certainly have all the qualities in order to succeed
there".

It's difficult not to ask Thierry for a memory of his adventures in Italy with Juventus: six months before he left without making a mark, but that now
provokes no regret from the French champion. This is, however, distant history now, a parenthesis that is now closed, and to re-open the wound is painful, because it tells of failure that is hard to digest. He comments: "I do not know if Juve let me go too soon and I don't believe it is right to speak of it now: many years have passed. But in London I find myself very well: I play, I run, I score and I pursue the most important victories".
And the World Player of the Year award? He laughs and immediately answers: "That is decided by other people". And his expression is anything other than
resigned.

Until yesterday evening you could legitimately say that Arsenal are a great team, but one that always disappoints on the most important European occasions. Because of this Arsene Wenger is particularly happy: "I am proud of the attitude of the players and the character that they demonstrated above all after Inter's equaliser. All the boys went on the pitch with incredible fighting spirit: it was the mentality that made the
difference. With Henry, naturally... ".

On the most difficult evening, with a greatly weakened squad and the obligation to win, Wenger made a wise choice: to put his team's destiny in the hands of their talisman. And their European top scorer showed that he is unequalled in class and as a leader: because he inspired the victory almost single handedly and dragged his team beyond
an obstacle that seemed insurmountable.

This is what champions are made of.

And Thierry Henry is an extraordinary champion.

 

I haven't touched any part of the article. No problem mate.