Our regular Serie A expert takes us through three top talking points from the weekend round in Italy’s top flight.
By Matteo Bonetti, US Serie A expert
Atalanta remind everyone about their Top 4 ambitions
Often forgotten about, Atalanta’s game against Roma on Monday was a reminder to the rest of the league that they can still make a serious push for a top four finish. Atalanta managed to beat the side from the capital 3-1 in Bergamo, which was a win against a direct competitor for a Champions League spot.
It’s quite incredible that Atalanta are even here to begin with, given the issues they’ve had up front. Their two leading goal scorers from the last few seasons, Duván Zapata and Luis Muriel, have only managed a combined two goals in 43 matches. This has meant that they’ve had to earn results via other sources. Fortunately for La Dea, it’s come in the form of two summer arrivals from last year. The Ademola Lookman / Rasmus Højlund pairing has combined for 20 goals this season and demonstrated once again just how astute Atalanta’s scouting department is. This is a club that has had to consistently replenish its roster after losing key players in the transfer market. The one constant has been their manager Gianpiero Gasperini, who has now become the longest serving active manager in the league since taking over in 2016. Atalanta can also look above them in the table and see that all the other teams in contention for that fourth spot are also juggling European competitions. Milan and Inter in the Champions League and Juventus and Roma in the Europa League. Atalanta have only the league to focus on, so being four points shy of fourth spot suggests that goal is attainable.
I was fortunate enough to be able to interview Atalanta’s co-owner Steve Pagliuca (also part owner of the Boston Celtics) for CBS; where he made clear his team’s intentions stating they are absolutely gunning for a top four spot. Atalanta suddenly has very important financial backers who also have a shrewd understanding of the marketing it takes to spread awareness about the club’s recent success. While Atalanta has historically been a yo-yo team bouncing between Serie A and Serie B, the last seven years has changed their reputation to a side that is always in the mix for a European spot. Hearing Pagliuca’s bullish comments about his side’s future should definitely be enough for their fans to feel confident that this team is one on the rise.
Leão’s MVP form
Rafael Leão is back to looking like the best player in the league. His brace over the weekend, against Lecce, means that he’s eclipsed his 11 goal tally from last season by hitting a career best 12 goals at this stage, with seven games to play. Leão’s inconsistent season seems to be in the past now, as the winger was the primary reason why Milan were able to beat Napoli in the Champions League quarterfinals and in their most recent domestic meeting. It’s not just the statistics with Leão, but the way he’s achieving them. It feels like every single game now has a world class coast-to-coast run from Leão, where he goes 70 yards on his own to either set up a goal or score himself. What’s amazing about his style is that he’s running by players effortlessly and with a smile on his face. When Leão’s in this form, the game looks like it comes so easily to him. In the three matches against Napoli – the team that’s dominated Serie A and made all the headlines this season – it was Leão that looked like the best player on the pitch.
The smartest decision Pioli made this calendar year was scrapping the 3-5-2 formation that he temporarily used to get Milan out of their defensive funk, in favour of his usual 4-2-3-1. Surprisingly, Leão was candid about his struggles in the 3-5-2 formation, complaining that his more central position meant he didn’t feel like he could turn and run into space as easily. As soon as he was utilised in his more natural left-wing position, Leão showed off his MVP form from last season and more. If Milan have any chance in the Champions League, it’ll have to come through his individual play. The simple inclusion of the Portuguese international in the starting lineup may make opposition managers second-guess their defensive approach.
Milan don’t have anyone else with his characteristics. A defence that plays a high line against the Rossoneri also has to deal with the counter-attacking threat that Leão offers. A team’s right-back will also have to play more conservatively knowing that he has a world class winger to contend with.
With Milan still fighting for a top four spot in the league and a chance to make their first Champions League final since 2007, Leão going back to his stellar form from last season couldn’t have come at a better time.
Verona’s last stand
It was only a month ago that Hellas Verona looked destined to get relegated back into Serie B after a lacklustre season which has seen different managers come and go. Their campaign looked doomed from the start. In the summer, the club lost their three top goal scorers from last season in the transfer market – Giovanni Simeone went to Napoli after a personal best goal scoring season, Gianluca Caprari left for Monza, and dynamic midfielder Antonín Barák took his talents to Tuscany to link up with Fiorentina. Without this trio, Verona found themselves in the difficult position of having to replace double digit goals with a meagre budget.
The strikers they did sign have been abysmal. The hulking Bosnian Milan Đurić has only scored once in 21 matches since coming over from Salernitana. Thomas Henry joined from Venezia after his nine-goal campaign with the relegated club, but so far has only found the back of the net twice in 16 matches. The other strikers have somehow fared even worse – Kevin Lasagna, known more for his name than his football, has a paltry one goal in 26 matches for Verona. These types of returns are normally synonymous with a team destined for the second division, but in recent weeks, Verona’s fortunes have seemingly changed. The club has picked up seven points in their last three games, including an impressive scoreless draw away at against league leaders Napoli.
More importantly, their most talented player has finally found his stride. Simone Verdi is coming off a brace in a 2-1 win against red-hot Bologna. Verdi is a strange player. Not long ago, Napoli signed him from Bologna for €25m after the winger managed to score 10 times that season. Verdi has always had bags of talent, but has never been able to consistently express it. Perhaps his most unique skill is that he doesn’t know which is his favoured foot. He has taken free kicks and corner kicks with both his right and left foot. This ability means he is very difficult to mark for a defender, given that he doesn’t have a particular tendency.
However, even though Verdi has also been a very streaky, confidence based winger, he is now finding his form at the most important time of the season. The club are only one point from safety and look like the only side from the bottom three that has a good chance of saving themselves down the stretch.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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