Last weekend saw Italian calcio resume for Serie A round 13 on the peninsula. With that, came plenty of noteworthy results and performances to support them.
Argentine duo Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain carried a lackluster Juventus to a 3-1 win over Atalanta in Bergamo, while Giacomo Bonaventura and Hirving Lozano arrived on the scoresheet in a 1-1 stalemate between AC Milan and Napoli at San Siro. Inter’s strike-force Lautaro Martínez and Romelu Lukaku lead the attacking assault as Antonio Conte’s side smooth sailed to a 3-0 win v Torino to keep pace with the Bianconeri at the top of the table.
For round 14, we take a look at who could be poised for a strong weekend and give you five players to consider adding to your fantacalcio roster. Here they are.
Paulo Dybala (ATT, Juventus, Value 14.67) – ‘La Joya’ rejected moves away in the summer in order to convince the Juve brass he could be a real difference maker this season, and that’s exactly what he has been thus far. Despite being somewhat in and out of the starting XI, the 26 year old is showing his elite ability in the final third of late, pulling the winner out of nowhere vs Milan, scoring away against Atalanta and curling in a sensational free kick from an impossible angle to defeat Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League midweek. With Cristiano Ronaldo in a funk and not performing to standards, expect Dybala to maintain his starting role and keep this blistering run of form rolling at home v Sassuolo.
Giacomo Bonaventura (MID, AC Milan, Value 4.78) – Finally fit and itching to make a difference in the midfield, Giacomo Bonaventura looks to be a key man for Stefano Pioli moving forward. Although his playing time has been mixed the last two months, the Italian looks more like the impact player that enamoured the Rossoneri faithful and won their hearts in previous years. Last Saturday, the 30-year old scored a wonderful goal to equalize vs Napoli in a Man of the Match worthy performance at home and this could be a sign of things to come for him. 4.78 is very good value for Milan’s visit to Parma, and should be taken advantage of.
Gianluca Mancini (DEF, AS Roma, Value 14.33) – Whether it be playing centrally in the back alongside Chris Smalling or sliding into a holding midfield role, Gianluca Mancini has been a real asset for Paulo Fonseca and his Roma side through 13 rounds. The 23-year old Azzurri man is proving by the week he is deserving of a spot on Roberto Mancini’s Euro 2020 roster next summer, with steady showings and maturity to support his claim. The Giallorossi will travel to the Bentegodi to play the league’s second best defensive side in Verona, who also happen to be a very light scoring side as well which bodes well for the backline Mancini could be included in. If you are in need of a CB without wanting to break the bank, go snag the former Atalanta man and ride his solid form.
João Pedro (MID, Cagliari, Value 23.88) – Cagliari’s been Serie A’s surprise outfit this season as they currently occupy the 4th position in the league table. One of the main reasons for their success early on has been the presence of Brazilian midfielder João Pedro and his 7 goals to date. But, beyond G+A numbers and statistics, the 27-year old’s shouldered quite a bit of responsibility and has served as one of the Sardinian’s leaders to keep the squad always fighting for results. 23.88 is a lot to invest in a non-star player, but you can argue many of the most expensive midfielders haven’t done half of what Pedro has for his side. Assess your midfield setup and consider the Cagliari man.
Sofyan Amrabat (MID, Verona, Value 10.92) – Ivan Juric and his brick wall defence have earned plenty of plaudits this season as Verona sit 8th in the table, but let’s not overlook midfielder Sofyan Amrabat in all of this. The 23-year old moved over to Verona from Club Brugge this past summer on a loan + option deal, and has been a revelation in the middle of the park. Averaging 2.38 tackles and 2.33 dribbles per game, the Morrocan international does an awful lot to clean up and maintain order in Juric’s 3-4-1-2 shape. Give him a look this weekend as they host Roma.
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