They've seem to have sent Europe into raptures. On the morning after Lukas Podolski's outstanding performance, the English press have nothing but praise for the Germany international, while the Dutch dailies – albeit somewhat reluctantly – pay tribute to Mario Götze's brilliant footwork. Both players' clubs have progressed to the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 stage, with Götze contributing to each of Dortmund's four goals at his side's 4-1 victory against Ajax in the Amsterdam Arena. Podolski, for his part, managed to score "only" once – but what a goal!
The Daily Mail calls it "a screamer" while the Daily Telegraph puts it this way: "The way Podolski positioned himself as the ball dropped over his shoulder, the way he volleyed with his left foot with such precision and strength, it was a strike which would have brought back happy memories of when Robin van Persie plied his trade hereabouts."
In trademark punning fashion, The Sun headlines "In Pod we trust", commending Lukas for his untiring workrate: "Wenger’s summer signing from Cologne has adjusted to life in the Premier League quickly and was a star performer before struggling. He is maybe coming to terms with the number of games he is required to play but he is still an excellent player and could prove to be one of Wenger’s finest signings."
German victory in Amsterdam – after 15 tries
In Amsterdam, meanwhile, spectators in the Amsterdam Arena witnessed what will be marked in the annals as the first-ever away victory by a German club in the Dutch metropolis. Voetbal International's "Ajax slaughtered by outstanding Götze" makes no bones about the sense of utter defeat caused by the Dutch side's drubbing at the hands of Borussia Dortmund.
Ajax coach Frank de Boer was the first to recognise the class of a player baptised "the torturer" by the Dutch press, saying "Götze is a world-class player who tonight made all the difference", a quote picked up this Thursday morning by practically all of the Dutch papers, including De Telegraaf and Volksrant.
Metro eulogizes Götze and fellow Dortmunder Marco Réus as 'the German super-talents', who can look forward to spending the winter months "hibernating" in European football's upper echelons – just like their Germany team-mates at Bayern Munich, Schalke 04, and Real Madrid.
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They've seem to have sent Europe into raptures. On the morning after Lukas Podolski's outstanding performance, the English press have nothing but praise for the Germany international, while the Dutch dailies – albeit somewhat reluctantly – pay tribute to Mario Götze's brilliant footwork. Both players' clubs have progressed to the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 stage, with Götze contributing to each of Dortmund's four goals at his side's 4-1 victory against Ajax in the Amsterdam Arena. Podolski, for his part, managed to score "only" once – but what a goal!
The Daily Mail calls it "a screamer" while the Daily Telegraph puts it this way: "The way Podolski positioned himself as the ball dropped over his shoulder, the way he volleyed with his left foot with such precision and strength, it was a strike which would have brought back happy memories of when Robin van Persie plied his trade hereabouts."
In trademark punning fashion, The Sun headlines "In Pod we trust", commending Lukas for his untiring workrate: "Wenger’s summer signing from Cologne has adjusted to life in the Premier League quickly and was a star performer before struggling. He is maybe coming to terms with the number of games he is required to play but he is still an excellent player and could prove to be one of Wenger’s finest signings."
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German victory in Amsterdam – after 15 tries
In Amsterdam, meanwhile, spectators in the Amsterdam Arena witnessed what will be marked in the annals as the first-ever away victory by a German club in the Dutch metropolis. Voetbal International's "Ajax slaughtered by outstanding Götze" makes no bones about the sense of utter defeat caused by the Dutch side's drubbing at the hands of Borussia Dortmund.
Ajax coach Frank de Boer was the first to recognise the class of a player baptised "the torturer" by the Dutch press, saying "Götze is a world-class player who tonight made all the difference", a quote picked up this Thursday morning by practically all of the Dutch papers, including De Telegraaf and Volksrant.
Metro eulogizes Götze and fellow Dortmunder Marco Réus as 'the German super-talents', who can look forward to spending the winter months "hibernating" in European football's upper echelons – just like their Germany team-mates at Bayern Munich, Schalke 04, and Real Madrid.