Evergreen Inzaghi keeps up scoring habit in Europe

The UEFA on Wednesday declared the 36-year-old top scorer in European events with 68 goals after his heroics the previous night in the 2-1 win at French side Olympique Marseille.

 Inzaghi, who was replaced in the final minutes, played an entire game after a long injury layoff.

 Inzaghi, 36, did not quite believe the record because German legend Gerd Mueller has 69 goals overall on the continent.

 "With regards to my position in the top-scorer standings, for UEFA I'm already first, whereas for us Italians I still need another goal. If it will arrive at San Siro I will be even happier," the Milan website quoted Inzaghi as saying.

 Milan host Zurich on September 30 and the case will be closed if Inzaghi gets another two goals there, or later in the competition.

 Statsticians agree that Mueller has 69 overall, but the UEFA lists him with 62 goals, seemingly not including seven goals he scored in the 1970/71 Fairs' Cup which was not a UEFA-sanctioned event at the time.

 To add to the confusion, the Munich club website list Mueller's tally at 66. Munich appear not to count three goals from European Supercup appearances even though it was a UEFA event.

 Praise on Inzaghi, meanwhile, came also from French newspapers, with sports daily L'Equipe calling him "eternal" for his two "foxlike goals" and interpreted the public's hissing when he was replaced as a sign of "admiration and relief."

   Le Figaro described the defeat as "a lesson in Italian realism," to underline the trademark ruthlessness and opportunism of Inzaghi in the goal area.

 As La Gazzetta dello Sport called him a legend, the striker said that "my secret, probably, is to enjoy playing and be ready at the right moment. But this team also have their merit, with many good players who give you beautiful balls."

   Apart from his overall heroics, Inzaghi is the best Italian scorer in the Champions League, but trails Raul, Andriy Shevchenko and Ruud van Nistelrooy among European active players.

DPA