The race for UEFA competition berths in Italy heats up as we prepare to head into matchday 21 of Serie A play this weekend.
Last week, Ciro Immobile’s hat-trick lead the attacking assault on Sampdoria as Lazio came away with their 11th straight win by the score of 5-1. Fiorentina entered the San Paolo and dealt Napoli a 2-0 defeat, sending Gennaro Gattuso’s side into further trouble and a 11th place spot.
Theo Hernandez and an Ante Rebic second half masterclass carried Milan to a late 3-2 win at home over Udinese, while the Rossoneri’s rival Inter dropped points away to Lecce in a 1-1 result. Cristiano Ronaldo’s brace held up at home in the 2-1 victory over Parma and Roma handled matters at the Marassi with a 3-1 win themselves.
Let’s take a look at five players who could help you this week in fantacalcio.
Samu Castillejo (MID, AC Milan, Value 5.04) – After a bit of a difficult season with limited action as second fiddle behind Suso, Samu Castillejo appears to have convinced Stefano Pioli to make him the starting right winger and is repaying that trust with a string of fine performances. The Spaniard’s directness, pace and dribbling ability enable Milan to play much quicker on the break, which has in return increased the scoring chances the squad has begun enjoying. Since earning the start a few weeks ago in the 2-0 win vs Cagliari, Castillejo has won over the fanbase with strong shifts against SPAL in Cup play and in the win over Udinese. With Suso’s career at the club in doubt, Castillejo will get the minutes needed for him to be solid play in fantasy. At 5.04, there is plenty of value for a player trending in the right direction and coming up against bottom of the table Brescia on Friday.
Jeremie Boga (MID, Sassuolo, Value 16.71) – As one of Italy’s breakout stars this season, Boga continued to torment last weekend in the 2-1 win over Torino, scoring an absolute wondergoal and assisting Domenico Berardi for the winner. His mesmeric dribbling ability has made him one of the more challenging tests for defenders, and therefore, makes him a constant threat to put up solid offensive numbers. With the Neroverdi making the travel to play the very lackluster Sampdoria on Sunday, the 23-year old remains a must play as he maintains his impressive campaign.
Lorenzo Insigne (ST, Napoli, Value 14.19) – 2019/20 has not been kind to Insigne nor his Napoli, for a multitude of reasons. However, in terms of trends, the Italian looks to be heading in a more positive direction at this stage of the season, with hopes he can return to his normal, influential self. Insigne has scored three goals in his last two Coppa Italia matches, including a real nifty one against Lazio where we saw shades of his former self. Napoli will host Juventus on Sunday in a match that, while has lost its title significance due to the Partenopei’s positioning, would be a great opportunity for Insigne to show he can turn up against big clubs. The price is steep, but he could be worth a flyer.
Gaetano Castrovilli (MID, Fiorentina, Value 14.42) – Few have seen their stock soar more than Gaetano Castrovilli this season. Despite Fiorentina’s tumultuous campaign, the Italian midfielder has been a pure revelation and a mainstay in the starting eleven, with his box-to-box abilities looming large for the Viola. The 22-year old may not have posted big offensive numbers (3 goals, 2 assists), but his tackles per game (1.84) and dribbles per game (3.21) jump off the page and are mightily impressive for a player in his first full top flight season. Fiorentina host Genoa this Saturday, a matchup which heavily favors the Azzurri international having another stellar showing.
Seko Fofana (MID, Udinese, Value 11.90) – The Ivorian caused all sorts of problems in the midfield trenches against Milan last Sunday. From a holding midfield position, Fofana did a bit of everything to stabilize Udinese in the middle of the park, winning balls, retaining possession and freeing Rodrigo De Paul to spring forward. The ex-Manchester City man and the Friulani travel to take on EL contenders Parma. There is some good value in Fofana here, even if it’s for just this match before going back in for another option for round 22.
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