The Serie A season is nearly at its climax with just three rounds of fixtures remaining and things are heating up at both ends of the table.
Inter have secured another Scudetto crown, but the fight for the Champions League places is well and truly on with five teams scrapping for the three remaining spots.
AC Milan look set for a managerial change in the summer after a disappointing season under Stefano Pioli, while Juventus players wait to find out if they will be coached by Massimiliano Allegri next season.
Meanwhile, several Italian top-flight players are being monitored by Premier League teams as we edge closer to the opening of the summer transfer window.
Mail Sport’s Alvise Cagnazzo rounds up 10 things we learnt from the latest round of Serie A games.
Mail Sport’s Alvise Cagnazzo rounds up 10 things we learnt from the latest round of Serie A games
Gleison Bremer is becoming increasingly indispensable for the Juventus defence but could leave in the summer
1 – Manchester United circle for Juventus defender Gleison Bremer
Gleison Bremer is a defender who scores important goals and is becoming increasingly indispensable for the Juventus defence. His acrobatic header against Roma was a spectacle as he dragged two Roma defenders with him before scoring past goalkeeper Mile Svilar to rescue a vital draw.
Juventus are incredibly vulnerable without Bremer’s presence in defence and their plans for next season largely rely on keeping the former Torino star at the club.
Against Roma, he bullied both Romelu Lukaku and Tammy Abraham and commanding performances like that are why Manchester United are weighing up paying the £51.5m release clause to bring him to the Premier League.
2 – Teun Koopmeiners will be a bargain buy if he moves
There are no more words that can be used to describe an extraordinary player like Teun Koopmeiners. The Dutch midfielder’s goal at the weekend sealed an important victory against Salernitana and he will be a hot prospect for other European clubs at the end of the season.
Liverpool and Juventus are the two clubs most interested in Koopmeiners and under the guidance of Giampiero Gasperini it’s easy to see why. The 26-year-old has been transformed into something of a “tank” at Atalanta: he is physically strong, technical and equipped with a striking ability that allows him to be an added attacker.
His introduction against Salernitana completely changed the game as the club moved into Serie A’s Champions League places and Koopmeiners is now a complete player.
There are no more words that can be used to describe ab extraordinary player like Teun Koopmeiners
Liverpool and Juventus are the two clubs most interested in a summer transfer for Koopmeiners
3 – AC Milan can cope without Rafael Leao
AC Milan’s reliance on Rafael Leao is being questioned after the club’s star was booed off the pitch following Sunday’s 3-3 draw against Genoa. The weekend produced Leao’s worst match of the year as he remained trapped in the defensive grip of Alberto Gilardino’s team.
The Portuguese left the pitch amidst the boos, without saying goodbye to boss Stefano Pioli and immediately slumped into the changing rooms. AC Milan demonstrated, for once, that they can cope without Leao and still manage to play with great dynamism.
Leao lights up in flashes but without ever being decisive – at times he seems like a 5-a-side football juggler and not an 11-a-side player. He has lost his smile, he doesn’t seem happy and perhaps leaving Italy could improve his mood and performance. Overall his latest showing was mediocre; he got everything wrong and proves that he is not a leader Milan can rely on.
AC Milan’s reliance on Rafael Leao is being questioned after the club’s star was booed off the pitch following Sunday’s 3-3 draw against Genoa
4 -Federico Chiesa reminds Juventus he is their star
Federico Chiesa is an extraordinary player when Massimiliano Allegri decides to let him play as an attacking winger instead of forcing him to live like a prisoner in the 3-5-2 system.
Chiesa is the star of the Italian national team and against Roma he showed his attacking talents, immediately shooting from outside the penalty area, frightening goalkeeper Mile Svilar before continuing to create several chances for Dusan Vlahovic.
Chiesa is a lethal weapon who seems to have overcome all his physical problems after 18 months of psychological and muscular ordeal – demonstrated as he hit the post with a very angled and powerful left foot at the start of the second half after a sensational dribble.
He left the field tired but proud and Chiesa will be fundamental for Luciano Spalletti’s Italy at the upcoming European Championship, but his relationship with Massimiliano Allegri now seems irretrievable.
Federico Chiesa reminded Juventus of his star quality in their weekend draw against Roma
5 – Napoli fans prepare for Victor Osimhen departure
Victor Osimhen scored what could be his final Napoli goal in the weekend’s draw against Udinese. Without Champions League football and with yet another managerial change to face in the summer, it is very likely that the Nigerian attacker could leave Naples at the end of the season.
Osimhen hasn’t had the best season of his career, but his contribution of 15 goals has certainly contributed to at least 20 points this season. Losing the African centre forward would mean losing a point of reference for the team and more importantly for Serie A.
His future lies far away from Italy and Napoli will most likely finance future transfer moves thanks to the sale of their best player. Without him, Napoli’s tactical system of a team that for too long has hidden behind the competitive fury and physical strength of its No 9 will completely change.
Victor Osimhen scored what could be his final Napoli goal in the weekend’s draw against Udinese
Osimhen’s future lies far away from Italy and Napoli will most likely finance future transfer moves thanks to the sale of their best player
6 – Christos Mandas could join Man United or Man City
Christos Mandas is a very talented Greek goalkeeper, discovered by former coach Maurizio Sarri and enhanced by Igor Tudor during the period of Luca Provedel’s injury.
In the first 45 minutes he looked like Spiderman: he saved shots from Matteo Pessima, Valentin Carboni, Warren Bondo, Bondo, Andrea Colpani and Pablo Mari proving that he could be Lazio’s No 1 even with the return of starter Provedel.
Against Monza he conceded two goals that he could do nothing about and commanded the Lazio defence with authority. Now the 22-year-old is being linked with both Manchester United and Man City who would like the Greek star as their reserve goalkeeper.
Mandas made his surprise debut in January and now has a chance to move to the Premier League for a fresh challenge.
Christos Mandas is a very talented Greek goalkeeper and is wanted by both Man United and Man City
7 – Stefano Pioli has lost control of AC Milan
Stefano Pioli now understands his AC Milan future is over after the draw against Genoa showed he is continuing to lose leadership within the locker room.
Star player Leao is unrecognisable this season and the relationship with the coach has now deteriorated beyond repair: Pioli is disconsolate, sad and at times even seems angry with himself for the team’s terrible results. His team is once again in an identity crisis, the second time in this troubled season, and looks incapable of finding a solution.
His exit is approaching and a change in the Milan dugout is imminent.
Stefano Pioli now understands his AC Milan future is over after the draw against Genoa
8 – Olivier Giroud’s time in Milan has come to an end
Olivier Giroud’s 14th goal of the championship was a technical masterpiece on how to create space in the area without the ball. The extraordinary goal was scored after a sensational mistake that angered AC Milan legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic, sitting in the stands.
The Frenchman is going through a turbulent final phase of his career because at 38 he is no longer at his physical peak. The ex-Arsenal and Chelsea star’s contribution to the Italian club has probably been greater than expected and his next move to MLS will serve to recharge his batteries.
The problem for Milan is Giroud always appears tired, easily predictable for his opponents as well as lacking the physicality of a younger player. He manages to find the key to closing this season with dignity but he is no longer the exceptional player of the past.
Olivier Giroud’s 14th goal of the league season was a technical masterclass in movements in the area without the ball
9 – Vanja Milinkovic-Savic continues to show clean sheet quality
Vanja Milinkovic-Savic suffers terribly from the weight of his surname, but has been one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A for several years now. In Torino’s big match against Bologna he was at his best guarding his penalty area.
His 18th clean-sheet of the season is testament to his quality and attention between the posts. If Torino decide to sell him at the end of the year they will make a big mistake.
Milinkovic-Savic was spared a comical error in the second-half against Bologna as the ball ended up going to one of his team-mates. The veteran shot-stopper got lucky even if sometimes he thinks he is a midfielder, forgetting that he has to play above all with his hands and not feet.
Vanja Milinkovic-Savic secured his 18th clean sheet of the season against Bologna at the weekend
10 – ‘Giant’ Milan Djuric rediscovers goalscoring form
Milan Djuric discovered the joy of scoring goals by grabbing his first Serie A brace of the season. The giant born in Bosnia and Herzegovina earned the right after winning the duel with his team-mate Lorenzo Colombo.
Coach Raffaele Palladino put his faith in the tall striker and justified his selection with two goals in 90 minutes, just his third goal since he joined the club. The former Verona giant brought Lazio’s defence to its knees with clinical finishing.
Milan Djuric discovered the joy of scoring goals by grabbing his first Serie A brace of the season
The tap-in and an acrobatic goal saw Djuric showcase his full technical repertoire, and handed a valuable point to Monza who are fighting to climb up the Serie A table.
When Djuric is at the centre of the attack it seems that the whole team has more courage and more aggression.