What a week for Serie A!! 38 goals were scored this weekend, Inter winning in the Maxi Lopez/Icardi battle, Fiorentina & Verona sharing an eight goal thriller, Chievo beating Livorno in the relegation battle where the highlights of the round as our writer Haytham Mohamed picking a rather “offensive” team for the round !
GK – Samir Handanovic (Inter): The score line may say otherwise, but Handanovic has a great influence in Inter’s victory in Genoa, if not for a superb first half performance by the Slovenian, where he blocked a penalty and miraculously saving three other opportunities, the match would have gone probably in a different path.
Dodo (AS Roma): Back after a long spell on the sidelines, he didn’t fail to impress, showing great character and maturation.
Walter Samuel (Inter): The “Wall” put a strong performance this weekend, didn’t give Maxi Lopez a breather all game long, and scored with a trademark “bullet” header.
Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma): Strong defensive display by De Rossi, always providing security in the back and when given the chance pushing forward with style, like in Ljajic goal, his tackle to deny De Luca was world class!!
Juan Cuadrado (Fiorentina): Another mesmerizing performance by the Colombian, this time Montella deployed him in a second striker role where he scored his team’s second with a powerful shot, but due to the fullness of our attack department this week, we deploy him in our defensive ranks!
Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina): Was all over the field in the Bentegodi, scoring twice with a good vision and positioning, a performance that will have a great influence in Prandelli’s choices next summer!
Adem Ljajic (AS Roma): Given a rare start by Garcia to prove his worth which he took it well, troubled Atalanta’s defenses with his mazy runs & dribbling all game long, proving that he has still more to give to this team.
Alberto Paloschi (Chievo): If Chievo were meant to stay in Serie A this season, it will be hugely due to this man! Another man of the match performance, this time scoring a hatrick to take down fellow relegation battlers Livorno at their own turf. Superb!
Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli): Another hatrick hero this week, who looks like the words of Benitez early this week of him not giving his all to the “Partenopei” fired him off, demolishing Lazio’s hopes of European qualification with a great performance. His 3rd goal was pure striker’s talent.
Rodrigo Palacio (Inter): The Argentinian fancies playing in the “Luigi Ferraris”, ran riot in the Samp defenses, assisting Icardi twice and scoring once to raise his tally this season to 15 goals.
Mauro Icardi (Inter): He’s simply on fire these days, but this Sunday it was a show of character for the “Bambino del partido”, winning his own battle with Maxi Lopez and a stadium full of whistling fans with style, scoring yet another double and proving he can be the future of Inter’s attack.
Honorable mentions: Ricardo Montolivo (AC Milan), Borja Valero (Fiorentina), Dries Mertens (Napoli), Giorgio Chiellini & Sebastian Giovinco (Juventus).