Following another exciting weekend that saw Juventus grab back top spot Dave Taylor picks his best XI from Serie A’s Week 10.
Diego Lopez [Milan]
Could do nothing about either goal but saved his side from complete disaster with a handful of vital saves, including a fabulous one handed save from Franco Vazquez along with blocks from Achraf Lazaar, Paulo Dybala and Edgar Barreto. Crucial.
Silvan Widmer [Udinese]
Following another exciting weekend that saw Juventus grab back top spot Dave Taylor picks his best XI from Serie A’s Week 10.
Diego Lopez [Milan]
Could do nothing about either goal but saved his side from complete disaster with a handful of vital saves, including a fabulous one handed save from Franco Vazquez along with blocks from Achraf Lazaar, Paulo Dybala and Edgar Barreto. Crucial.
Silvan Widmer [Udinese]
The young Swiss defender patrolled the right flank with pace and energy adding equally to attack as defence. He also scored his first Serie A goal with an angled shot into the far corner. Lively.
Kalidou Koulibaly [Napoli]
Contained Roma’s forwards with ease, set up several counter-attacks and the second goal. Stats help prove his power, pace and combativeness as he recovered the ball 33 times along with a pass accuracy of 88.6 per cent. Peerless.
Giovanni Marchese [Genoa]
A totally commanding performance by the Sicilian playing in a back three role as if he was born for it. Scored the equaliser with a scintillating volley and went close again only for the ball to slip past the post. Imposing.
Paolo De Ceglie [Parma]
The former Juve wing-back had the defence running around in circles like a breathless, confused cat after misplacing its squeaky mouse. Scored twice after exploiting defensive mistakes and would have scored a third but for Samir Handanovic’s acrobatic save. Composed.
Edgar Barreto [Palermo]
An all-round classic midfield performance, plugging gaps, closing down forwards, setting up attacks and seemingly everywhere he was needed. His intelligent use of the ball and physicality played a big part in the win. Substantial.
Andrea Pirlo [Juventus]
The Metronome scored a fabulous opener with an archetypal free-kick that left Empoli’s goalkeeper as still and lifeless as Tom Cruise’s forehead. Not quite the Pirlo we know and love but still head and shoulders above most others. God-like.
Lorenzo Insigne [Napoli]
Sky Italia’s Sandro Sabatini called him Messi-like, a world class talent, who left Roma’s defenders wheezing like elderly, asthmatic warthogs. His assist on the first goal was as sharp as his Neapolitan nonna’s kitchen coltello slicing through a carrot. Irrepressible.
Miroslav Klose [Lazio]
Two goals and an assist inside a mind-blowing 30 minutes. Setting up the opener his brace arrived inside the space of a minute, the first from the right, the second a powerful right-footer from the left that deflected in. Devastating.
Alvaro Morata [Juventus]
Continually caused problems with his linking play as Empoli by fair and foul means failed to stop him. He eventually garnered vengeance with a superb goal, fastening a left foot around a curler into the far corner. Vialli-like.
Gonzalo Higuain [Napoli]
Against Roma the Napoli serpent uncoiled thanks to Gonzogol’s transcendental scissor-kick volley from 10 yards, his fifth strike inside a week. Factor in his sublime assist for the second and the real Pipita returns. Matador-like.
Special Mentions: Andrea Rispoli [Parma], Antonio Di Natale [Udinese], Iago Falque [Genoa], Alessandro Matri [Genoa], Jose Callejon [Napoli], Sergio Romero [Sampdoria], Panagiotis Tachtsidis [Verona], Senad Lulic [Lazio], Stefano Mauri [Lazio].