A FORCE OF NATURE
Focus
Valentina had her third season at the Rossoneri, and her second as Captain. 18 goals, five braces and a historic four-goal haul in the Derby: Giacinti has scored in every competition she has played in, finishing second top-scorer in Serie A behind Girelli. Her opening goal came against Bari at Vismara and the last was at the same stadium against Fiorentina; in between, her goals single-handedly won the team 12 points.
In the league Derby, she wrote another page in the record books: she bagged four goals in 65 minutes, the quickest four-goal haul in Women’s Serie A since December 2018; she was also the first person in 61 years to score a first-half hat-trick in a Milan derby, since José Altafini in March 1960. She saw off Inter, a rival side that, for years, have had it over the Rossoneri with an easy and constant regularity.
The final image of Valentina’s 2020/21 season was her in tears after the loss on penalties to Roma in the Coppa Italia final; that game was a huge disappointment, but should not take away from a hugely positive year. Giacinti has the spirit of Milan, is a leader on the pitch and in the changing rooms, and makes us proud, as a constant in Italian football. Now, finally and fully deserved, she can walk out in the Rossoneri shirt in the preliminary rounds of a Champions League.
Even Ivan Gazidis, in an exclusive interview a few days back with Milan TV, praised her highly: “Valentina is a force of nature, she always gives 110% on the pitch. She is an example to us all.” After the summer, the team’s Number 9 will return with re-charged batteries - and new goals for the year ahead.
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