Sport And Fun: Maicon

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Maicon

Maicon Douglas Sisenando (born 26 July 1981), commonly known as Maicon , is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as a right wingback for Internazionale and the Brazilian national team.In July 2006, Internazionale of Italy officially announced the signing of Maicon on a five-year contract, along with fellow Brazilian fullback Maxwell and French midfielder Olivier Dacourt.During his time at Inter, he has established himself as a reliable wing-back, solid defensively with an ability of making emphatic runs down the right wing, often setting up goals or scoring himself with his powerful right foot. He has overtaken Inter captain Javier Zanetti as first choice right back. He is generally considered as one of the best wing-backs in the game.During a UEFA Champions League match on 6 March 2007, he was involved in a brawl with Valencia CF defender David Navarro. Maicon was originally banned for six matches, but the ban was reduced to three. A regular under former Portuguese coach José Mourinho, he contributed his fair share of assists and goals as Inter won a fourth consecutive title in the 2008–09 season, including a match-winning brace against Siena.He continued the good form he displayed in previous seasons during the 2009–10 season. He started the season by scoring a goal against Milan in the 4–0 Derby della Madonnina victory, and then playing well against FC Barcelona in a 0–0 draw at the San Siro. He subsequently set up Diego Milito on matchday five in the Serie A against Napoli, as Inter defeated Napoli 3–1. He also scored the last goal in a 5–0 win over Genoa. He also made a fantastic byline run which resulted in Milito's match killing goal in a 5–3 home victory over Palermo and in the very next match, he scored a goal against Livorno, where the match ended 2–0 for Inter. During Inter's home leg of the Derby d'Italia, the right back opened the scoring against Juventus with one of the most spectacular goals of the season, juggling a loose ball over the onrushing defender at the top of the penalty box and volleying it into the opposite corner.Later that month, Maicon scored his first Champions League goal against reigning champions Barcelona when Internazionale registered a famous victory over the Catalans. He reportedly knocked out a tooth after he collided with fellow South American Lionel Messi. Having overtaken Roma at the summit of the Serie A and winning the league title, Inter went on to knock out Barcelona from the Champions League in the semi-finals, with Maicon earning praise. On 22 May 2010, Inter won the Champions League, thus obtaining the treble, with a 2–0 victory over Bayern Munich in the final at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, Spain. (Inter also won the Coppa Italia against Roma.) He was named the 2009-2010 UEFA Club Defender of the Year and his performances earned him a nomination for the Ballon d'Or trophy as Europe's top player.