Cristian Fabbiani shows off super skills and then a super miss

Cristian Fabbiani is a footballer most fans will unlikely have heard of. The 25-year-old striker is a modern-day journeyman, having plied his trade at five clubs in eight years, while returning to Argentinean side Lanus three times already in his relatively short career.

Currently playing for Newell’s Old Boys back in Argentina, on-loan from Champions League side CFR Cluj for whom he scored 11 goals in 29 games last season (watch here), Fabbiani’s story is both is checkered and interesting. The bulky number 9, standing 6.2ft tall and weighing in around 190lbs, has had a history of weight problems, once leading to his agent saying “It’s true that he has a little extra weight, but that’s Fabbiani. He hasn’t trained for a week, but he burns it off very quickly.”

But Fabbiani, who is also known for his fiery temperament which has seen the forward, nicknamed “the Monster,” has collected a spate of red cards during his time, could also be the pin-up for the “great technique for a big man” label. Hugely skilled, with good aerial ability, Fabbiani has the talent to plague any defense in world football.

Two clips from Fabbiani’s last game against Rosario Central encapsulate the hit-and-miss qualities of the striker.

The first clip captures some beautiful skill from Fabbiani, as the striker weaved an opening for himself down the line by nut-megging the covering defender which a fine piece of fancy footwork. Sadly, the end-product was lacking.

The clip can be seen here.

The second video would have made it into our Goals of the Week list last Monday, had it not been that the ball failed to go into the net. Showing grit and determination to win possession in a sliding tackle Wayne Rooney would have been proud of, Fabbiani beat both the keeper and a defender for dead before losing his composure and lifting the ball over the bar.

The clip can be seen here, or alternatively here (7.05 minutes in).