FIORENTINA-JUVENTUS
Fiorentina: Dusan Vlahovic did it again thanks to a PK in the midweek round, then Martin Caceres finished off Verona with his second goal of the campaign. The Serbian starlet has hit the net seven times in the past six matches, adding two assists in that stretch. Franck Ribery is no longer the most continuous player, but he has been able to set up two teammates and score twice in his last eight games. Giacomo Bonaventura is suspended for this one, so they will likely lean more on Gaetano Castrovilli (5 goals, 3 assists), who has been pretty boom-or-bust. In the midfield, Erick Pulgar is more intriguing than the gritty Sofyan Amrabat for his set-piece prowess. Cristiano Biraghi has resumed uncorking loads of crosses after a lackadaisical stretch, but he has not picked up bonuses in some time.
Suggested picks: Vlahovic, Ribery, Castrovilli.
Juventus: Cristiano Ronaldo (25 goals) indeed returned against Parma, but he did not take advantage of the cozy match-up and looked still a bit hampered. He has gone two games without scoring. Paulo Dybala showed well than the previous tilt, but the third game in a week could be a little taxing for him; Alvaro Morata (9/8) will likely see more minutes. Federico Chiesa (8/8) is poised to be a late call and would be a top choice against his former team. Weston McKennie filled in that role but was not particularly involved in the offense. Juan Cuadrado instead shined again, tacking on two more assists to his season tally and bringing it nine. Dejan Kulusevki could have a decent role after partially resting in the midweek bout, like Morata. Alex Sandro and Matthijs De Ligt found the target versus Parma. While another similar detonation is unlikely, the fullback does have the potential to be a presence on offense.
Suggested picks: Ronaldo, Morata/Dybala, Cuadrado.
INTER-VERONA
Inter: Romelu Lukaku (21/9) and Lautaro Martinez (15/5) technically hit the net against Spezia, but both goals were disallowed due to offside, and so they have gone three fixtures without making the stat-sheet. They are surely due given their numbers, especially those of the Big Belgian. Instead, Ivan Perisic found the target in his return from injury, which did not halt his momentum. Achraf Hakimi was not credited with an assist just for a technicality, but he did create the goal with a scamper, and he has returned to elite levels in the last three appearances. Christian Eriksen bagged his first goal of the season versus Napoli, while Niccolò Barella and Marcelo Brozovic continue to be quiet in the final third. Alexis Sanchez (5/6) has struck out for five games in a row, but he has been sprightly when called upon lately.
Suggested picks: Lukaku, Martinez/Sanchez, Perisic/Hakimi.
Verona: another L for the Scaligeri versus Fiorentina as Eddie Salcedo’s first goal of the season was not enough to really re-open the contest. The youngster is getting some run due to the absence of Miguel Veloso, as Antonin Barak (7/2) is alternating between playing as no.10 and as pivot. He and Matteo Zaccagni (6/5) have propelled the team for most of the campaign, but they are going through a swoon: Barak has scored just once in the last eight fixtures, while Zaccagni’s most recent offensive bonuses date back to January. The offense, which has taken a hit, has thus been powered more by the flank game: Marco Davide Faraoni dished his seventh assist midweek, while Darko Lazovic bagged his third goal Sunday. Federico Dimarco (4/3) is also a major cog. Kevin Lasagna has not really been consistent as he has found the target twice in 13 appearances, but he will remain their linchpin until Nikola Kalinic is fully healthy.
Suggested picks: Lazovic, Faraoni, Salcedo/Barak.
CAGLIARI-ROMA
Cagliari: Joao Pedro interrupted his slump with a decisive PK against, improving to 14 goals in the season, plus two assists. He had not hit paydirt in six fixtures. The last two matches have surely lifted their offense since Leonardo Pavoletti (3/3), Razvan Marin (2/4), Gaston Pereiro, and Alberto Cerri had hit the net last weekend, getting out of a collective slump. Radja Nainggolan is suspended for this one, which might open the door for the bouncy Uruguayan striker, who has mostly been used off the bench, but it is very much possible the coach will make a more conservative choice. Both strikers tend to be streaky, and Cerri might have surpassed Giovanni Simeone in the pecking order.
Suggested picks: Pedro, Pavoletti, Pereiro/Marin.
Roma: they grabbed a quality tie against Atalanta thanks to Bryan Cristante’s first goal of the season. Edin Dzeko did not shine despite starting, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan (9/8) showed only some flashes of his pre-injury self, and he has now gone nine games without scoring. Jordan Veretout (10/2) is in a similar spot and has been silent in the past five. Borja Mayoral instead has found the target in his last two appearances, and he has solid chances to get the nod in this. There is optimism stud wing-back Leonardo Spinazzola (2/4) will be able to go. Since Mkhitaryan and Veretout are faltering, Lorenzo Pellegrini (5/6) has been their most interesting midfielder. Carles Perez has also been a positive contributor in his increased playing time due to absences of the teammates.
Suggested picks: Mayoral, Pellegrini, Mkhitaryan/Perez.
ATALANTA-BOLOGNA
Atalanta: Ruslan Malinovskyi showed up once again versus Roma, and he continues to put up ungodly numbers, as he has notched three goals and five assists in the last five fixtures. Luis Muriel had an unusually wasteful performance and has not scored in three in a row. Duvan Zapata instead has posted four goals in the last five matches, Josip Ilicic one goal and one assist in the most recent three, even though his role has been reduced. Robin Gosens is suspended for this one, and Joakim Maehle and Matteo Ruggeri, one of whom will take his place, do not drive anywhere near his fantasy value.
Suggested picks: Malinovskyi, Zapata, Muriel.
Bologna: their stars Musa Barrow and Roberto Soriano combined for the initial goal versus Bologna, but they did not generate a lot more good offense after that. The Gambian striker has hit the net in consecutive games for the first time in the season, while the midfielder (9/6) had not taken home bonuses in the last four outings. Jerdy Schouten and Matthias Svanberg (5/2) produced in the previous tilt with Spezia and will be fresh after mostly getting the day off midweek. Riccardo Orsolini and Andreas Skov Olsen have been fine but neither separated himself from the competition. Rodrigo Palacio is set to reclaim the starting job and, while he is not a very prolific striker, he has set up two teammates recently.
Suggested picks: Barrow, Soriano, Palacio.
TORINO-NAPOLI
Torino: Rolando Mandragora confirmed to have become an offensive factor midweek, as he rifled home his third goal of the season. Simone Zaza was given a spot start after a strong cameo versus Roma, but he did not manage to follow it up in a positive fashion, so Antonio Sanabria (8/1) and Andrea Belotti (12/6) will continue to do most of the heavy lifting. The Spanish striker has been more effective than the Italian one recently, but they are neck-and-neck. Simone Verdi is getting a ton of minutes and touches but has not broken out of his almost season-long lull. Cristian Ansaldi picked up an assist, his fourth of the year, in his last start and Wilfried Singo also looked spry on the flank.
Suggested picks: Sanabria, Belotti, Mandragora.
Napoli: they heaped misery on Lazio in the last round’s crunch game, with all their best pieces coming through. Lorenzo Insigne shined with a brace, moving to 17 goals in the campaign (plus five assists). Dries Mertens (9/8) and Victor Osimhen (6/1) made the stat-sheet as well and, while their alternation is not super-duper ideal, they have shown up also off the bench. Matteo Politano (9/4) is massively outplaying Hirving Lozano (9/3), who has not been himself after the injury. Piotr Zielinski (6/8) has teed up a teammate in two of the last three matches and Fabian Ruiz has finally been able to pull his weight like he often did last season in the last couple of games.
Suggested picks: Insigne, Osimhen/Mertens, Zielinski.
LAZIO-MILAN
Lazio: they could not keep up with Napoli, but at least Ciro Immobile bagged his second goal in a row, while Sergej Milinkovic-Savic buried a jaw-dropping free-kick for his seventh in the season (plus ten assists). Andreas Pereira picked up a helper and could gain some steam if Luis Alberto (8 goals) continues to be hobbled. Joaquin Correa is not super consistent, but he has beaten opposing goalies in two of the last six fixtures. Adam Marusic (2/3) is not on the radar until he resumes featuring on the flank, while Manuel Lazzari (2/4) only carries some secondary appeal. Felipe Caicedo (8 goals) has hit paydirt in two of his last three appearances.
Suggested picks: Immobile, Milinkovic-Savic, Correa.
Milan: Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s last-minute absence surely hurt them against Sassuolo, even though Hakan Calhanoglu (3/8) made his return to the stat-sheet in a scintillating way. Ante Rebic could not keep up his scoring after two consecutive goals, and the big problem for them is that Rafael Leao and Mario Mandzukic have not been able to adequately substituted the Swedish striker, who is poised to be a late call again for this one. He would be the top choice considering that he has posted 15 goals in 17 games, even though he has abated in the last month. Theo Hernandez is banged up as well, but Diogo Dalot makes a pretty good impression, especially when used on the left. Alexis Saelemaekers tends to be sneakily involved whenever there are some absences, and he is coming off his third helper. Franck Kessie has notched one goal and one assist in the last six matches, and he is their second-leading scorer.
Suggested picks: Rebic, Calhanoglu, Ibrahimovic/Kessie.
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