The man may not send a rocket from outside the box into the back of the net or dribble past three defenders in Messi-like fashion. But what ‘Super Mario’ Mandžukić is doing in his two seasons at Bayern Munich is simply “getting the job done.”
The ‘Red Baron’, as he has been dubbed in Germany, poaches goals in front of the net and heads home crosses like no other striker in the world at the moment. However, he’s been criticized by some for being one-dimensional and only being able to score from within six yards.
But just like a 7-foot center in basketball who’s not paid to put up 3-pointers, Mandžukić isn’t being paid to do anything but set up in front of goal.
And the numbers don’t lie.
Super Mario is currently tied atop the Bundesliga scoring table with Borussia Dortmund’s Robert Lewandowski (17 goals), who ironically could be replacing Mandžukić next season at Bayern. But remember, Bayern clinched the Bundesliga title two weeks ago and have been playing quasi-friendly matches; resting starters as they prepare for Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals.
With four matches remaining in the season, Mandžukić very well may end the campaign as the Bundesliga scoring champion. But should it be looked down upon; as he receives some of the best service in Europe from arguably the best club?
It shouldn’t matter. Mandžukić has proven that he can get the job done in any situation, in any game. The man has been on a mission since scoring three goals at Euro 2012. He followed up that performance with a fantastic debut season with Bayern, scoring in the Champions League Final last year before netting 17 times in 2013-14. He also has three goals and three assists in Champions League play this campaign.
And he’s not even finished yet.
Bayern take on Kaiserslautern Wednesday in the DFB Pokal semifinals. Manager Pep Guardiola will make a run at a second consecutive Europe treble, and let me make it known, it won’t be without Mandžukić being a part of the action. Robben, Ribery and Schweinsteiger might be the technical flash that Bayern require, but Mandza is the blue collar work horse that always gets the job done.
He may be turning into the aerial Ivica Olić, but with the résumé Mandžukić has built, who cares?
što ga više tuku to ga jače volim
Well there you go,I got curious and Googled it.I had no idea that he got caught with a “friend”at a NT camp.I always thought there were no pederi in the HNS! 😉
@Ivica-“Homo rub n tug Tomas”???????????
@ARMADA
That 2002 tournament along with WC2006 were our two biggest fuck ups.
How we lost to Ecuador after that Italy game was beyond me, and even though Australia in 2006 was actually a pretty good team, I don’t know what homo rub n’ tug Tomas was trying to do that game.
I watched the Italy match in 02 at an Italian club amongst the Croatian contingent.That was a super sweet morning. 🙂
@idemo…….shoes are not part of the kit contract.
@ IvicA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjQm5dUUyXM
Rapaic had a great tournament and tormented the Taljani but I can never get enough of his goal from this (starting at the 1:11 mark)
“MIKI, MIKI, MIKI”
and then they zoom in on Panucci
“ljuti se ti moj Panucci”
hahaha legend!
@Poglavnik
Blasphemy!
You forgot Miki Rapaic!
@Ziva
I see what you’re saying about the nike hat, so why don’t you say something when he wears nike boots every game? or is Real only an adidas team when it comes to headwear?
Well, it’s not like you can just develop them with ease. Either you are born talented and have the proper coaching to get you to max out your potential or you are not. Much easier said to “develop” them than actually being able to have some.
By the way, another Masters series event on the tennis circuit. Which means????????? You guessed it. Another disastrous performance by Doper Cilic. Well, at least he showed up today. Also, wasn’t this the event last year when he had all his trouble with the doping allegations.
trebam pomoc ljudi moji, If anyone live in the LA area and would like to have some free dental work done for my licensure exam let me know. Cash incentive as well. It would be for one of the following days May 25th-28th.
and yes I am spamming this site, please dont delete
ps Hajduk zivi vjecno
Gareth Bale is GOOD!
When are we ever going to develop a winger again?!
I’m pretty sure we’ve only had 2 good ones in 20 years.
Jarni and Srna.
Suker ran off to Zagreb after the Split Dinamo game. He didnt even stay for Splits birthday celebration. Not really nice since he is president of the savez. Maybe he was upset cause Mamic wasnt allowed there lol
And guess who scored again today?????
Yep, you guessed it Mario Mandzukic with a nice shot to the far corner.
Bale killed Barcelona today. Barca are really missing Rakitic. Now that is a man who knows how to take care of Real. They could have sign him for a fraction of what Neymar cost.
Modric hit the post. Which was good to see. But dammit, I would like to see him take the bull by horns and score more goals and assists. Like 8 goals and 10 assists a season.
I guess they have just gave up a loosing fight ! The game was in Zagreb tho ! I Don’t Know !! Maybe that had something to do with it ?
Armada 87 i did not see the game ! Wtf happened ?very Bad
What my boy neglected to mention is that we are visiting family together in sydney this week.We both got up early for the 5.30 am kickoff to share some bonding time.
-It was a early morning cofee for me and a cup of warm Milo for Ziva.
-Modric didnt have a great game,but showed a few moments of brilliance.Hopefully his top form will continue.
-Toward the end of the game after Bale scored a brilliant goal,I saw my boy was lamenting that he would not be able to use the “dump”on Modric that he could not add major silverware to his collection and was therefore not a “true champion yet”.Modric did it today.I backhanded Ziva and his remaining Milo across the room.Ahhh,bonding time.
Anyone watching the Spanish Cup final. man, the shit star players can get away with.
Ronaldo is not playing and sitting in the stands if a team-issued suit. But, on top of his head is a Nike hat. And Real is an Adidas team.
@ Cico
In football news from yesterday….
Hrvatski Dragovoljac 4 – Croatia’s Most Loved Team 1
Dude, your team just got lit up by a team made up of a bunch of Druga Liga players! FAIRNESS!!! BOG!!!!!
DI SIIIIIIIII ČO!?!?!?!? DI SI!?!?!?
😀
wouldn’t be surprised if Dinamo throws out a 14 year old kid to make his debut, just to be able to say they have a 14 year old future Cristiano Ronaldo and to make the record for youngest kid unbeatable
Anybody trying to save a buck on their Croatian Jerseys checkout aliexpress.com the jerseys are 20 bucks including shipping. Type in croatia jersey under search on the main screen. They hide the Nike logos on the website but they come with them.
They aren’t originals but if you dont care about that and are looking to save money thats the spot.
Wow. Dragovoljac destroyed Hajduk. Maybe they won’t drop out of prva liga.
bananaboy fernie broke his leg. lol. http://www.24sata.hr/nogomet/split-na-102-roendan-igra-s-dinamom-na-parku-mladezi-362657
Heard rumors of Srna going to Man U.
Also, i think if Mandza was smart, he’d stay in Germany and be successful as a backup and occasional starter rather than fail as a starter with Arsenal who cant set him up the way the bayern midfield does.
What’s the deal with Shakhtar nowadays? If Donetsk keeps on it’s current path and the US and West don’t do shit, will Shakhtar be in the Russian Premier League next year?
Hajduk are shit. Thats all
for all you Dinamovaci out there, some good news and bad news:
-Ante Coric, the next Dinamo wonderkid, was included in the roster vs. RNK Split yesterday and actually made his debut (at the age of 16)
-Junior Fernandes apparently broke his leg? At least you guys still have Cop.
http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Misko-Raznatovic-Dario-Saric-Will-Declare-for-the-2014-NBA-Draft–4464
@mkez00…….Olic’s time in Russia didn’t take him of anyone’s map. Maybe it took him of your map because your TV provider didn’t have the Russian League as part of its package. But, the top soccer people in Europe were well aware of Olic. He won a UEFA CUP and then made a move to the Bundesliga.
and Ukraine has been very good to Darijo too, although I wished he would’ve moved west from Shaktar a few years ago as he has talent
Or maybe those guys who do go out east were not good in the first place……
Kranjcar……..tough to really know because he has been constantly injured the last 2-3 years
Kalinic………he sucks. Who Hajduk and Bilic were able to convince at Blackburn for taking him in the first place is a mystery. But, good business.
For these Russian and Ukranina clubs to get good players they either have to scoop in and find some young talent or they overpay to bring in talent. Nobody outside of those countries grows up wanting to play in those leagues. But, they pay well. So, players like a Vida, Vukojevic, etc have a decision to make. Do you stay in Ukraine or Russia and get paid much more than you would in western Europe or do you go to mid to lower-tier teasm in western europe where the pay is not as high and the taxes are more.
These guys have a career that if they are lucky will last 10 years. So, you have to maximize your earning potential in those 10 years.
Eduardo……….damaged goods
Vida………..he is his own worst enemy. he is a drunk and has no discipline.
Strinic………journeyman type of player who will bounce around from team to team his entire career.
Corluka……..maybe he likes it in Russia and the money.
Olic did OK in Russia and got a bigger move out of it.
Pletikosa has done fine in Russia
@ Croatia vs. Antwerp
We’ve always had guys in leagues in the Far East.
Benko, Balaban, Cvitanovic, Juric… Normally once they go there, you never hear from them again.
@jim even olic’s tenure at CSKA took him off the map for a while. he still had a good career but prior to his move to Russia he was looked at by a lot of high profile teams
^^^^^
Money talks and shit walks ; )
I too hate it when our players go east. The good thing is the low tax rates and hookers.
Besides, with Benko going too the far East, is this a new precedent? Will others follow? First Ukraine and now China.
@ ivica
i agree with you. which of our players have gone there and been better for it?
kranjcar : flamed out
kalinic: mostly rides the pine
eduardo: not consistent playign time
vida: hasn’t developed as a player
strinic: similar story to vida
corluka: used to think he had a bright future. still solid. but feel like he has reached his peak
Re: Radošević going to CSKA…
I absolutely hate it when our players go East. Wasn’t Rakitić supposed to go to Russia, but decided that he didn’t want to be sold there? How good of a decision was that.
There’s gotta be a team willing to pay 3M for Radošević out there (along with his 450k per year salary). Man, he should’ve just went to Parma in the first place.
The great thing about Mandza is how he dominates the 16 yard box–and you thought that’s the goalie’s territory. Well, not when the Baron is in the game.
And when all else fails, just punt it into the box for him. That’s the repka’s back up plan!
@ ivica
I agree with you that lewandoski has a high chance of putting in more goals than mario next season. but if you take away the penalty shots he will get and you assess it on goals per minute, it will still be a tremendous challenge for the great lewandoski to match super mario
Napoli Starlet Wanted By CSKA Moscow
Josip Radosevic NapoliNapoli youngster Josip Radosevic is being linked with a move to Russian giants CSKA Moscow in the summer.
The 20 year old Croatian has struggled for playing time under former boss Walter Mazzarri and with current coach Rafa Benitez since joining the club in January 2013 for a fee of €3 million from Hajduk Split.
Izvestia report that CSKA Moscow have been monitoring Radosevic’s situation at Napoli for quite some time and may make a play for him in the summer.
The young Croatian still has three years left on his existing deal, so CSKA may have to pay up for him if they wish to push through a deal.
Radosevic has only made six substitute appearances in the Serie A for Napoli this season.
http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2014/04/napoli-starlet-wanted-by-cska-moscow/
Lewandowski will put in 20+ goals next season on less efficiency than Mandžukić.
But he’ll do it with much more minutes played (than Mandžukić had played this year) and it will include many penalties taken. So, I don’t think Lewandowski’s impact will be any different than Mandžo’s.
I don’t see Guardiola giving Lewandowski anything other than full starter minutes. Mandžo will likely be gone this summer, or the following January.
I say he goes back to Dinamo and they make a crazy run next year in CL. You heard it here first boys.
There will be a team or two willing to overpay for him. It happens all the time, we see an EPL side go crazy with money.
I think he stays at Bayern at least until January. The most likely worst case scenario would be Lewa ripping it up next season and Mario riding pine and thus having no other choice but to hand in a transfer request during the January window. I don’t see any other big market teams shelling out the cash for him this summer unless he has a killer WC campaign.
where is he gonna end up next year?
Bayern Sporting Director says don’t bother trying to buy Mandžukić this summer. They won’t let him go.
http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/69/transfer-zone/2014/04/14/4752263/sammer-dont-bother-trying-to-buy-mandzukic?ICID=SP_TS_3
In other news Suker opens his big mouth and says that Hallilovic reminds him of Messi…
http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1956/europe/2014/04/15/4754324/suker-halilovic-reminds-me-of-messi?ICID=HP_TS_4