While in the Champions League all Italian sides made it through to the knockout stages, there was a fear that in the Europa League there would be no Serie A teams. Luckily, Napoli managed to qualify with a 1-0 win over Steaua Bucharest, thanks to a very late goal by Cavani. And there was more good news for Italian sides around the world, Inter Milan were victorious in their semi-final of the World Club Cup, and they’ll be playing African champions TP Mazembe in the final of the tournament.

Napoli desperately needed a win at the Stadio San Paolo, or else they would not qualify for the knockout stages of the Europa League. But Steaua Bucharest came to defend with grit, staying turtled up in their own half, soaking up Napoli’s pressure, and then striking on the counter-attack. Napoli did their best, pushing well on the flanks and through the middle, eventually creating a great opportunity which Cavani put over the bar. Steaua had opportunities to score as well, and going into halftime, the two teams were fairly even.

The second half continued like the first, with Napoli slowly chipping away at the resolute Romanian side. Walter Mazzari’s team created more and more chances, with Cavani even hitting the post. The ending became more and more tense, with insults being thrown to and fro from players on the field to the ones on the benches. Both Steaua and Napoli were getting frustrated, creating goalscoring chances which weren’t finished properly or were saved by a pair of outstanding goalkeepers. Yet Napoli believed until the very end, and in the 92nd minute of the match Edinson Cavani scored what he calls, “a miracle goal”. The young Uruguayan managed to flick a corner from the near post with his head, sending Napoli through to the knockout rounds of the Europa League. Yet the tension was still high, and Paolo Cannavaro got sent off before the final whistle after receiving a second yellow card.

The other Italian sides did surprisingly well considering their previous poor form in the Europa League. Palermo defeated Lusanne Sports 1-0 away from home thanks to a late goal from Munoz, and Juventus got a good 1-1 draw against Manchester City, with some youngsters on display for the crowd at the Stadio Olimpico. Sampdoria though weren’t able to win or draw away against Debrecen, and lost 2-0. It’s nice that Napoli have managed to qualify for the round of 16, and hopefully they’ll receive a good draw and go deep in the tournament.

Inter Milan were in Abu Dhabi, where they defeated Asian champions Seongnam Ilhwa 3-0. This victory was an important one for Rafa Benitez, because the team is slowly recovering from injuries positively, especially Diego Milito who scored and assisted the other two goals. However there was a slight setback for Inter in this match; in the first minutes Wesley Sneijder received a tough tackle and had to be replaced. He won’t be able to make the final, which will be played against TP Mazembe, the first African side ever to reach the FIFA World Club Cup final.

The final is being played this Saturday, and while some don’t really consider this tournament as very important, if Rafa Benitez could manage to win it, it could be a turning point for his team. There have been many doubts over whether Benitez would stay much longer at Inter, and it seems like Massimo Moratti has calmed the voices by prasing the Spaniard regarding the team’s performance. But no matter how much praise Moratti heaps on Benitez, the president wants the coach to win this tournament, and transfer the momentum to the Serie A and Champions League campaigns.

What are your thoughts regarding Napoli’s qualification and Inter Milan’s solid win? Share your thoughts below!

Two matches have been played so far this weekend, and the more interesting result of the two has to be the 1-1 draw which was played out between Inter Milan and Brescia. The other match played was a 2-0 for Bologna against Lecce, with Di Vaio and Gimenez scoring simple tap ins.

But the match which will be attracting the media attention was at the San Siro, where Brescia almost managed to pull off a win against Rafa Benitez’s side. The Inter squad is currently destroyed by injuries, with Benitez unable to utilize Julio Cesar, Thiago Motta, Esteban Cambiasso, Dejan Stankovic, and Sulley Muntari. And this match Benitez has lost another couple of players to injury, first Maicon was substituted for a right thigh muscle problem, and then Walter Samuel awkwardly landed on his knee, twisting it and needing to be stretchered off. Wesley Sneijder also needed to be taken off at half time because he was apparently suffering from “lightheadedness”, another blow for Benitez.

The game seemed to start well for Inter Milan, some good possession with a few shots scattered as Brescia started defensively. But 14 minutes in a long ball for Caracciolo wasn’t dealt properly by Samuel and Lucio, and the Brescia captain managed to finish past Castellazzi to give the away side the lead. Then, Benitez’s side began to panic, and Bresica made sure to cover up defensively to not allow Inter to have any goalbound chances.

Maicon had to be replaced around the half-hour mark, so Benitez chose to do so with Cordoba. Then when Samuel needed to be substituted as well, Benitez finally put in Santon, sliding Cordoba in the middle of defence with Lucio, and giving Santon the right wing to operate on. And Benitez had to take off Sneijder at halftime because of some “migraine problems”, and Benitez decided to put in the young Nigerian Obi.

Inter pressed and pressed, with Pandev as useless as a stump, Eto’o dribbling too much, and Coutinho the only player providing danger to the Brescia goal. Milito, Obi, and Coutinho worked hard to make sure that Brescia remained on the defensive, and Santon was exceptional in tearing down the right wing to provide an attacking option. Eventually Inter Milan created the opportunity to score, Samuel Eto’o was brought down in the penalty box after one of his trademark dribbles, and referee Gava gave the penalty. Samuel Eto’o sent the keeper the wrong way with an unreachable and beautifully taken penalty into the bottom left corner of the net.

Regarding whether it was actually a penalty or not, it’s a very tough call to make. Eto’o had been brought down plenty of times in the box where the referee could’ve called a penalty with certainty, yet the referee called one when it was slightly dubious. There was certainly pushing and maybe some tripping by the defender, but looking at the replay, it seems like Eto’o is slipping with his foot literally on top of the ball. Whether he’s slipping because of the defender’s push, or his own faulty traction, we don’t really know.

So Inter manage to squeak a 1-1 draw where they were probably the better side, but I’m not sure they deserved a win. They had plenty of opportunities to score, one of which in the last minute of stoppage time with Diego Milito in front of an open net, volleying the ball over the goal, but Inter didn’t put any away. Sure, they kept possession and had some goal-bound shots, but they still didn’t score from open play, a worrying statistic for any Inter fans.

But what Inter fans should really be worried is the injury situation. I think that Samuel will be out for at least a month after his awkward and wince-causing knee injury, and Sneijder’s migraine problem isn’t a positive thing. But if you were to take the positives for Inter from this match: Santon is doing wonderfully and he can easily replace Maicon, Coutinho looks fantastic and was unlucky not to have a goal, and Milito is returning with a hardworking mentality.

What are your thoughts regarding these two matches? Was Inter Milan’s draw a surprise for you? Please share your thoughts below by commenting!

Fifa released its list of the 23 nominees for the Ballon D’Or of 2010. Along with the 23 players, there are also 10 managers/coaches competing for the World Coaches of the Year award. The winners of both will be announced by FIFA on December 6th.

Something which will stand out right away when you look at the list of the 23 players is that there are no Italian players. This was predictable especially with the Italian National team having trouble in the 2010 World Cup. While I thought that maybe the Juventus central defender Giorgio Chiellini could’ve made the final 23, he didn’t. I’m certainly disappointed, and I hope that next year we’ll be able to see a couple of Italian names on that list of 23 players. Maybe Giuseppe Rossi, Davide Santon, or Mario Balotelli?

Although the list is devoid of Italians, luckily there are some players representing the Serie A. There are only four Serie A players, and all four of them play for Inter Milan. They are: Julio Cesar, Wesley Sneijder, Samuel Eto’o, and Maicon. If you were to ask me, those are four great choices, but it’s a little disappointing that there’s no other Serie A side represented.

And there’s an interesting player who wasn’t included in the final 23, and that’s Diego Milito of Inter Milan. Surely if there was a star goalscorer from last year, you’d have to think about Inter Milan’s Argentinean. He scored both goals in the Champions League final to make sure that Inter won the historical trophy, but FIFA haven’t included him in the nominees for the Ballon D’Or. I think he should’ve been included, what about you?

Funnily enough, there’s an Italian on the list of the World Coaches of the Year award, good old Carlo Ancelotti. Carlo did a great job at Chelsea in his first year, and he won the English Premier League title. Along with Carlo, Jose Mourinho is nominated after his extraordinary treble which he accomplished with Inter Milan last year.

While I think this award will go to Jose Mourinho, what are your thoughts? Please comment below! And what are your thoughts regarding the lack of Italians? Who do you think will be the next Italian to be on the shortlist? Share your thoughts below! And if you haven’t seen the list of the nominees yet, be sure to check it out here!

The soccer press has been buzzing about the latest Wayne Rooney press conferences, statements, and rumors.  The usual suspects have been named as possible destinations: the ATMs that are Manchester City and Real Madrid, EPL rival Chelsea, and Bundesliga giant Bayern Munich.  But where Wayne Rooney really belongs is in Italy, and specifically Inter Milan.

Here is why Rooney in the Black and Blue makes the most sense:

• He moves to a team that is already successful and won’t need him to be their savior: Don’t get me wrong, Inter Milan needs the talents of a player like Wayne Rooney.  Although they are well positioned to repeat as Serie A champions again, their campaign so far has been lackluster.  Their nine goals are the fewest scored by any of the top six and its been their defense that has won attention.  An on-form Wayne Rooney immediately boosts their offense.  But Inter Milan does not absolutely need him; if they did not sign him Eto’o, Milito, and Sneijder are still world-class up front.  His addition would add a key component without the pressure of being “The Man” for Inter.
• Rooney counters the Milan signings: The media attention in Serie A has been on Inter’s intercity rival.  Their Ibrahimovic signing so far has been worth every euro, and they have become the popular pick to snatch the title away from Inter (sorry Lazio fans).  While press clippings don’t win scudettos, signing Wayne Rooney reminds everyone which club is the defending champions of Italy and Europe and pushes Milan to the second page.  This is a definite benefit to management.
• He provides needed youth up-front: It’s hard to remember, but Wayne Rooney is just 24 years old.  Milito is 31 and Eto’o is 29.  Rooney becomes the young striker that Balotelli had been for the Nerazzurri.
• Rafa Knows Rooney: Having managed against him in the EPL, he is well aware of his skills so the learning curve on how to use Wayne Rooney in his system will be short.  Plus, he has dealt with the press in multiple countries and can help with that aspect.
• Serie A is a clean start away from the English press:  Athletes in crisis management are well served stepping out of the spotlight for a time to re-craft their image.  While Rooney playing with Inter would still cause a media circus, he would be covered daily by the Italian press and not the English press.  While the Italian press can be critical (to put it lightly), he is out of the country where he is seen as THE face of football.  At the same time he would still be playing top-flight football and could showcase his skills on the international stage.  And I suspect Fabio Capello still has a few friends in Italy who can keep an eye on Rooney for English national purposes.

What do you think of Wayne Rooney with the Nerazzurri?

A set of matches were played this midweek, and there were few disappointments as we saw a great match between Inter Milan and Bari which ended 4-0 for the nerazzurri, along with an interesting loss for Juventus against Palermo. But the most interesting result was Roma’s, which needed to get out of their bad run of form against Brescia, but the newly-promoted side won 2-1. This puts a very strange light on the match between Roma and Inter Milan this upcoming weekend, while the game will be played at the Stadio Olimpico, Roma seem to be in some very bad form, while Inter have just begun to run.

Inter Milan have truly taken off, a 4-0 win against one of the most dangerous sides in the Serie A can only be greeted with great enthusiasm from their fans. And what makes this win even more important for the nerazzurri is that last season’s star striker Diego Milito finally found the back of the net this season. Two goals from the Argentine were accompanied by Samuel Eto’o's double with both of the Cameroon’s goals coming from the penalty spot.

While about 30 seconds into the match Bari hit the woodwork, that was about the only chance they could create in the first half. Inter Milan went on to dominate the first half as Bari tried to fight back in the second, but achieved little. Sneijder was magical on the night as his one touch passing was a constant threat for Bari’s backline.

Some other notable appearances were Sulley Muntari’s and Coutinho’s. The Ghanaian had a chance to show why he shouldn’t be sold in January, and he proved to be very useful as he held the midfield and made sure to be an attacking option. The Brazilian on the other hand had little time to prove his worth, but he made sure to be an option with some smart plays. Overall the entire Inter team was playing very well.

Roma on the other hand can’t have had a worse game (except for last week against Cagliari), they wen’t a goal down in the 13th minute after a great finish by Hetemaj. The Stadio Mario Rigamonti exploded with joy seeing their side go up against last one of last season’s title contenders. The second arrived in the second half with Mexes getting sent off and giving Brescia a penalty.

The French defender was very vocal in his defense against the referee, Russo, and it seemed like he was about to lay hands on him before he was sent off. This also means that he won’t be able to play the next match against Inter Milan, leaving a big hole in the back line for Roma, something with Eto’o and Milito will appreciate a lot.

Caracciolo scored from the spot to make it 2-0 for Brescia, securing a win which puts Brescia in third place behind Inter Milan and Chievo. Roma grabbed one back late on with Borriello slapping one into the back of the net after some bad defending from Brescia. But this goal won’t raise the spirits before the big match against Inter, and while Ranieri says that the match against Inter is the launch pad, it doesn’t seem so.

The Serie A has produced another slate of interesting results, and with even more on the way this midweek, the table positions are beginning to fix themselves. If you’re interested in reading about how AC Milan and Fiorentina did at home (not well) in their two matches, you can click here, but please read on to find out five interesting things to note from Serie A this weekend

1. Inter Milan already beginning to run away with the title

While we’re still at the early stages of this Serie A season, the team which is showing the most consistency out of the title contenders has to be Inter Milan. The nerazzurri got another win against Palermo with two goals from Eto’o who played spectacularly, and while this was happening, Roma conceded two late goals against Bologna to draw 2-2 at the Stadio Olimpico. Although Juventus won 4-0 against Udinese, the results from Delneri’s team are still slightly sporadic considering that they’ve got a win, loss, and a draw so far. So Inter are 2nd, behind Cesena on goal difference, and if they can win their next tough game against Bari, then maybe the Serie A will be a little less interesting then we thought this season.

2. Milito can’t score anymore

Last season’s wonder-striker Diego Milito is having lots of trouble finding the net this season. Although he found the back of the net once in the Champions League against Twente, that was an own goal, dragging his side down to a 2-2 draw. Against Palermo he had a few very good chances, and while normally he would’ve put them away without thinking too much, this season all his shots are going wide or over the bar. Luckily for Inter fans, Eto’o is pulling Milito’s weight by scoring more and more goals for Inter Milan. Maybe Il Principe will find his scoring boots, maybe he won’t, what do you think? Be sure to comment below!

3. Cesena continue to win

Cesena won yet again this past week against Lecce, although it wasn’t an extravagant result like the one they pulled off against AC Milan, they played well as they won 1-0. It was Bogdani who scored a goal which reminds me of some of Ronaldinho’s, a perfectly placed ball onto the far post, curling across the ground. Now Cesena are first in the Serie A, they’ll have to play away against Catania this midweek, if they grab another win there, they could be serious contenders for a Europa League spot this season.

4. Roma need to win next match with Inter coming up

Roma have put out a poor display of results, right now they’re placed 17th, with just two points so far. They’ve drawn two and lost one, and they’ve yet to play Juventus, AC Milan, Bari, Inter Milan or Napoli, teams which can seriously dismantle this disorganized side. This midweek they have the perfect chance to raise the morale before they play an extremely important match against Inter Milan on the weekend. Their midweek fixture is away against Brescia, and then the weekend they’ll be at home, hosting Inter Milan. If Roma doesn’t pull it together by then, I could see some bad results coming for the giallorossi, and maybe even Ranieri being sacked.

5. Genoa continue to crumble

After a summer of signings galore, you’d expect Genoa to challenge for a Champions League spot this season, but instead Gasperini’s side is  having trouble collecting wins. After their disappointing 3-1 loss to Chievo at home, where they scored first and then let Chievo come back, they did a similar thing this weekend. Things looked good as Toni scored the opener against Parma from the penalty spot, but then Parma pulled back a goal to draw 1-1. A disappointing result, and hopefully they’ll pick up this midweek when they host Fiorentina at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

What were your thoughts regarding this weekend of Serie A action? Share your thoughts below!

Today’s UEFA Champions League draw was one that should prove that Serie A is still one of the premier leagues in the world, and that Inter is arguably the world’s best club.  The Nerazzurri swept the UEFA individual awards: Goalkeeper of the Year (Julio Cesar), Defender of the Year (Maicon), Midfielder of the Year (Wesley Sneijder), Striker of the Year (Diego Milito), and Footballer of the Year (Milito again).  Milito scored both goals in Inter’s defeat of Bayern Munich in last season’s Champions League final.

But of course the big news is the draw, and with Sampdoria’s loss this week Serie A has three teams represented in the Champions League – defending champion Inter Milan, AS Roma, and AC Milan.  The draw was a mixed bag for all three, but all have a good chance of advancing.

Inter was placed in Group A along with Werder Bremen, Tottenham Hotspur, and FC Twente.  Bremen is of course the club that eliminated Sampdoria, and so it has a second chance to knock off a Serie A team.  Tottenham is playing in its first Champions League since 1963, and has a potent attack led by Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe.  FC Twente are the reigning Dutch champions but are making their first  Champions League group stage appearance ever.

This is a tough draw for Rafa Benitez’s club, but they will not have to travel far for away matches, two of which (White Hart Lane and De Grolsch Veste) hold fewer than 40,000 spectators.  They won’t go through the group stage undefeated, but it’s hard to see how Inter doesn’t advance from this group probably at the top.  My instinct is a loss either at Tottenham or Twente, but they finish first in their group.

Their rivals AC Milan also face a group of quality opponents rich in history, possibly making them part of this year’s “Group of Death”.  Milan (a Pot 1 club) is in Group G with Real Madrid, Ajax, and Auxerre.  Last year Milan went to Madrid and escaped with a upset 3-2 victory, helping them advance from the group.  This year, they will face the defending Champions League winning manager Jose Mourinho who is looking for a third title with his third team.  Ajax is one of Europe’s most famous clubs, but does not have the level of talent it has had in past years.  Auxerre is the French club that has a knack for upsets – it qualified for the group stage by knocking off Zenit St. Petersburg.

Jose Mourinho is likely salivating to play in Milan again and knock off the Rossoneri.  I have my doubts that AC Milan can go into Madrid and beat Real Madrid again, but they can advance from this group.  The key is not to lose focus when playing Ajax or Auxerre, because both are more than capable of advancing themselves.  This group will also have a ton of attention paid to it simply because of the names involved.  As such, Allegri will have a tough tightrope between preparing for his group and the domestic league.  Still I expect AC Milan to finish second and advance.

The third Champions League team Roma will be expected to finish second in their group, but because of the balance in this group all four have the possibility of advancing.  The Pot 2 team drew Group E headlined by Champions League runner-ups Bayern Munich, which will be a tough test for the Giallorossi.  The upset pick from this group will be FC Basel, Switzerland’s most successful club who have played in European competition since 1999.  While Roma has more talent and big names, Basel will not be an easy victory.  The fourth club, CFR Cluj, is a Romanian club that under new ownership in the 2000s has found success after being a second division team most of their history.  Roma fans will remember this club as the one in 2008 that came to Rome and won 2-1 in the Champions League.  I expect Roma to advance, but to have to battle the entire way.

My prediction is that all three Serie A clubs will advance, one in first and two in second.  But what do you think?  Tell us in the comments section, in the poll below, and on Twitter @roberthayjr

As I always say when I write about transfers, please take this post with a grain of salt – there are so many transfer rumors out there that will never pan out.

That being said, Rafa Benitez should acquire Giuseppe Rossi with the money he acquires from transferring Mario Balotelli.

It is one of the worst-kept secrets in soccer that Inter Milan is shopping Balotelli, primarily to the two Manchesters.  Yesterday, Inter rejected a $25 million bid for him from Manchester City, as they should because they could probably get much more for him, especially if a bidding war erupts between EPL clubs.  However, most of the soccer world anticipates that Balotelli, who has soured on Serie A and Inter, will be playing for a new club next season. 

But a report today from La Gazzetto della Sport confirms that Benitez has at least considered acquiring Giuseppe Rossi from Valencia to replace Balotelli.  While Rossi has publicly committed to remaining with his current club, Inter can use the cash from the Balotelli deal to entice Rossi to return to Italy.  Plus, the American-born player has said he considered returning to Italy to play for Pama.  So while a Serie A return is unlikely, it is not far-fetched.

But what would a Rossi contribute to the 2010-2011 Inter squad?  Tactically he would be an upgrade from Balotelli, as he is right now a more complete player.  Rossi would add to Inter’s impressive striker depth, rotating playing time with Milito and Eto’o.  He had 12 goals in domestic play last year, more than Balotelli.  Adding a rising star like Rossi to the roster would make Inter even more of a favorite to defend at least its Serie A title.

It would also give the club the face of Italian soccer.  As the older contributors to the 2006 World Cup retire from international play, and FIGC officials stress out over who will lead a new generation of Italian stars, Inter could grab the soon-to-be biggest Italian star in soccer.  As talented as de Rossi, Montolivo, and other Italian national team players are, they lack the “Q” rating of a Rossi.  While Juventus has been known as the feeder team for the Azzurri, the Nerazzurri could lay claim to being a team of international stars.  They could have the biggest Italian star (Rossi), possibly the world’s best keeper (Julio Cesar), the world’s best defender (Maicon), Cameroon’s biggest name (Eto’o), etc.  As Champions League champions, Inter Milan could try and maintain their hold on the crown with an international All Star team.

Of course, the transfer market will outdate this post within days likely, but what do you think of an Inter squad with Rossi?

Inter Milan have begun to turn in different directions this transfer market, while at first the nerazzurri were bargaining with Real Madrid about Maicon, now it seems like Balotelli could leave for Manchester City. The European champions would have to sell either the Brazilian or the Italian in order to begin to balance the books for the impending financial fair-play rule which will be introduced by UEFA.

At first Real Madrid was offering 25 million Euros for Maicon, but Inter wanted 35 (although it’s rumoured that 30 million would’ve sealed the deal), but Real Madrid have now decided to move Sergio Ramos to right back (seeing his great performances for Spain) and look for a central defender. As for Balotelli, Manchester City offered 30 million Euros for Mario, but for Moratti that isn’t enough. If an offer for 40 million arrives, Moratti would probably send the player to Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City.

Inter Milan have to make a smart decision between Maicon and Balotelli, while Balotelli is a very promising young Italian player, Maicon is probably the best right-back in the world, and finding a replacement would be difficult. Maicon has always shown his love for Inter Milan, like when he scored a stunning winner against Juventus, the Brazilian ran to the Inter fans and yelled that he would remain in Milan. Balotelli on the other hand has always been a difficult player to deal with, not consistent and not needed while Inter Milan have Eto’o and Milito. So it’s very probably that the Italian will leave for Manchester City as long as the right offer comes in.

Balotelli’s replacement would be Palermo’s Edinson Cavani who apparently wants to remain in Italy and would only go to Inter Milan, forcing Zamparini to negotiate with Moratti. Palermo are interested in some of Inter’s youngsters like Khrin, Obinna, and Mariga, but they would only leave on a loan deal. Palermo could consider asking for Muntari as the Ghanaian midfielder had difficulty this past season finding a spot in Inter’s starting 11, therefore being traded for Cavani.

Today should also be the day that Diego Milito (recently nominated as one of the 11 players for the Ballon d’Or) signs a new contract with Inter Milan. This would tie him to Inter until 2014 with a yearly income of 5 million Euros, keeping him away from Real Madrid or any other clubs interested in him.

Inter Milan are preparing for next season with what seems to me like a very good plan, share your thoughts on their transfer market activity below.

While we’re all extremely focused on the race for the scudetto and fourth place, there’s another entertaining battle taking place in Italy, the race for the Golden Boot. It’s interesting to break down the top scorers in the Serie A, and see the way they influence their team’s table position. Here are the current top 10 scorers of the Serie A:

Let’s take a look at the 9th placed player, Barreto from Bari. The 24 year-old Brazilian is full of experience, a short quick striker who has played in prestigious tournaments like the UEFA Cup is making his mark on the Serie A. Helping keep Bari up and out of the relegation zone, he’s an expert penalty taker and a cool finisher. But what should interest you the most is that he’s actually on loan to Bari from Udinese who also hold the current top scorer in the Serie A, Di Natale. It’s interesting to see how Di Natale has dragged Udinese into mid-table mediocrity with an astounding total of 26 goals. The Italian striker has really bloomed now that Quagliarella has left, and if Udinese were to bring back Barreto into the squad for next season, we could see a devastating strike partnership.

In second we find Diego Milito with 20 goals, the Argentinean is well known for being a versatile and extremely prolific goal-scorer, wherever he goes. His least prolific season was his first, when he scored 12 goals in 20 appearances for Genoa in the 2003/2004 season, and that’s not bad at all. From then on he’s moved to score plenty of goals, and could break his record this season with another goal in any competition, which would put him at 27 in all competitions and 21 in the Serie A.

At the very bottom of the list we find a young Slovakian midfielder at 12 goals, more than anyone else at his club, Napoli. Marek Hamsik, similar to Di Natale, is dragging Napoli into a Europa League spot, and the second-highest scorer at Napoli is Fabio Quagliarella, currently at 9 goals. It’s astounding to see how Hamsik is supporting this team by scoring 25% of Napoli’s goals and assisting 5 more, it certainly looks like he’ll be snapped up by a bigger club this summer.

It’s truly interesting to see how the top scorers of the league carry and affect their team in so many different ways, as the race for the golden boot continues on.