I traded the EFL for MLS and got the better of ‘nasty’ Italy and Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini in El Trafico
There aren't many strikers who can claim to have got the better of Giorgio Chiellini, but Billy Sharp is one of them.
The EFL legend spent three months in Major League Soccer after penning a short-term deal to join LA Galaxy.
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Sharp had established himself as arguably the most prolific goalscorer outside of the Premier League with the status of being the Championship's all-time top goalscorer (130) but faced a stern test in his first ever start for the California club as he pitted his wits against one of world football's most fierce defenders.
Lining up in the derby clash with LAFC - a fixture known as El Trafico - Sharp faced Chiellini who had moved to the US at the end of a glittering career with Juventus in which he guided them to nine Serie A titles.
Leading Italy to the Euro 2020 glory and winning 117 caps in the process, Sharp knew he faced a tough evening against Chiellini but was able to silence their rivals on enemy turf by ghosting between the centre backs and slotting home to equalise moments after going 1-0 behind.
The night ended in a 4-2 defeat for LA Galaxy, but for the 38-year-old, it was a memorable night.
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Speaking to talkSPORT.com about the challenge of facing Chiellini, Sharp said: "It was great. I got to play in the LA derby – El Trafico, they call it – and I managed to get on the score sheet right after they scored as well.
"The result didn’t end up our way but it was nice to score in the LA derby and write my name in the history books so it was a great experience to have.
"To play against someone like Chiellini was good. He was strong and nasty like I thought he was going to be.
"But after the game he was very complimentary and seemed like a nice guy as well.”
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Asked what Chiellini had said to him during the match, Sharp replied: “It was just the dark arts which you expect.
"He’s been one of the best around and he knows how to defend and get into the striker’s head.
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"Thankfully I got on the score sheet that night, but he got the result.”
Sharp's move to LA Galaxy came after his eight-year stay with Sheffield United came to an end following their promotion to the Premier League in 2023.
Having scored 129 goals in 377 matches during two spells with the Blades, the 38-year-old said that he left Bramall Lane with a heavy heart, leading to his decision to step out of his comfort zone by moving to America.
American Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie once offended Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon with his Italian food suggestions
Explaining his decision, Sharp said: "It came out of the blue, to be honest.
"I’d had contact from a few clubs who had offered me contracts but none of them really felt right and maybe because I was leaving Sheffield United, I was finding it hard to get over.
"But then LA Galaxy came out of nowhere and I was over the moon and it was something that I couldn’t really turn down.
"Some really big names have played for that club and they’re the biggest club in America and most successful so to have the opportunity to play for a club like that was something that I wasn’t going to turn down..
"It probably came at a good time in my career as well having been at Sheffield United and having a season playing in a different league which sort of made me think that maybe I could have done this earlier but I loved it.
"I enjoyed it. The facilities were brilliant and it went really well for me – six goals in nine starts and 12 appearances – so I felt that I couldn’t have done much more.
"I felt I deserved another year playing in America but it wasn’t to be and I came back to the Championship in January with Hull which again, was brilliant for me as an opportunity to get back into English football.
"That’s why I’m here at Doncaster now because it made me want to play football and made me hungry to help the team try and win promotion.”
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After 13 appearances with Hull, Sharp signed a one-year contract with Doncaster Rovers, a club where he'd previously scored 45 goals in 102 games.
While he will turn 39 in February, Sharp will be desperate to help Rovers to promotion from League Two after a bright start to the season.
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