As Einstein made an appearance in Bergamo and Juve extended their winning home run to an incredible 28, Dave Taylor selects his best XI from Week 23.
Pepe Reina [Napoli]
Pulled off a fabulous save from Mattia Destro’s penalty and initiated assorted Azzurri attacks. Couldn’t be blamed for the goal as despite blocking a Ladislav Krejci strike from point-blank range, Vasilis Torosidis headed home the rebound. Commanding.
Francesco Acerbi [Sassuolo]
As Einstein made an appearance in Bergamo and Juve extended their winning home run to an incredible 28, Dave Taylor selects his best XI from Week 23.
Pepe Reina [Napoli]
Pulled off a fabulous save from Mattia Destro’s penalty and initiated assorted Azzurri attacks. Couldn’t be blamed for the goal as despite blocking a Ladislav Krejci strike from point-blank range, Vasilis Torosidis headed home the rebound. Commanding.
Francesco Acerbi [Sassuolo]
He was integral to the visitors taking home all the points making any number of interceptions and clearances throughout the game. Forever vigilant he was alert to any danger and made sure the Genoa forwards never really troubled. Solid.
Federico Fazio [Roma]
The Argentinian played an ultra-solid game and also scored after finding space from a Daniele Di Rossi free kick to head the ball into the net via a post, complementing a comprehensive consummation of the visitors. Concrete.
Giorgio Chiellini [Juventus]
Another week and another top-notch performance, despite his naughty yellow card tackle. Always aware of any danger he made the most interceptions, most clearances and most tackles, while keeping the Inter forwards more cowed than a careless cat in Korea. Comprehensive.
Marco Parolo [Lazio]
A man of the match performance with four goals from five shots on target. He also had the best pass percentage in the team and like trying to fish out fly faeces from black pepper he was impossible to pick up. Scintillating.
Marek Hamsik [Napoli]
A five star performance from the captain, who scored a hat trick with his first goal coming via a sensational diving header, the second a curler into the top of the net while his third was another rocket into the top corner. Outstanding.
Juan Cuadrado [Juventus]
With movement an indispensable element of his game he completely controlled his flank. Over the course of the game he put over several dangerous crosses and scored the winning goal with a vicious half-volley that flew into the net. Piercing.
Lorenzo Insigne [Napoli]
A key cog in the Azzurri dream machine but was shaded by his two teammates yet still showed his full range of terrific trickery and scored a gorgeous goal after outrunning the Bologna defenders to slot paest the on-rushing ‘keeper. Menacing.
Dries Mertens [Napoli]
With three diverse goals and an assist, Serie A’s top scorer was another true star of the show. Bologna had no answer to him and he had their defenders leaping around like mixed maggots in boiling butter. Magnificent.
Edin Dzeko [Roma]
A real menace throughout and scored a brace, exemplifying his all-round performance. His first came as his inspired positioning allowed him to spring the offside trap while his second saw him relieve a Viola defender of the ball before slotting it past their ‘keeper. Motivated.
Alejandro Gomez [Atalanta]
“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on,” was the legend on Papu’s armband and it sure was where he was concerned. Scoring a brace with his second, moving gloriously at the ‘speed of light in a vacuum that was independent of the motion of the observers’. Relativistic.
Special mentions: Piotr Zielinski [Napoli], Ciro Immobile [Lazio], Ilija Nestorovski [Palermo], Samir Handanovic [Inter], Faouzi Ghoulam [Napoli] Mattia Caldara, [Atalanta], Radja Nainggolan [Roma] Daniele De Rossi [Roma].