Pazzini relieved to end goal drought

Giampaolo Pazzini was a relieved man after ending his Serie A goal drought in Inter Milan’s 2-0 win over Fiorentina on Saturday.

The Italian international had not scored in the league since netting against Bologna in coach Claudio Ranieri’s first game in charge on September 24, but he finished superbly with the outside of his right foot on 41 minutes after getting on the end of Philippe Coutinho’s ball in behind the Viola defence.

“Finally,” Pazzini told the Inter Channel. “It was a goal that I was looking for and expected. It was a lovely ball from Coutinho. I’m happy.”

Pazzini admitted that he was overjoyed at taking that opportunity given that he had squandered an earlier chance to break his Sere A goal-scoring duck.

“I had another half-chance, another ball from Coutinho,” hPazzin said. “Then the goal arrived.”

“(It was) better, better for everyone. I could also have had a second one, but when you change your mind you always make a mistake.”

“Now I’ll have to throw a party. I had told my team-mates that if I had a shot on goal I would do it. So then, with a goal…”

Pazzini is now hoping that after consecutive home defeats, against Udinese and CSKA Moscow, Inter can get themselves moving in the right direction again as the winter break approaches.

“Now we have to try to maintain consistency,” he said. “We’re still owed a bit of luck. Let’s hope things continue like this.”

Inter’s victory at San Siro sees them climb to ninth in the standings, but they remain 12 points in arrears of leaders Juventus.