September is not quite out in Serie A but who has caught your eye.
When this SBOTOP writer was asked to name his leading players of the month, I certainly had to think.
There have been a fair few Serie A highlights after all but who have individually stood out to make my top five.
What do you think?
Rafael Leao (Milan)
They may have struggled at times, including a derby defeat to forget, but AC Milan have had one man who has been consistent.
Portuguese flyer Leao may have come under fire in certain quarters recently for failing to respect defensive duties with the team, leading some to suggest that the club’s entire plan revolves around him.
Yet he hasn’t let the side down.
He was their match winner in Saturday’s San Siri victory over Hellas Verona, netted their consolation on a derby day to forget and also scored their winner in their first match of the month in the capital at rivals Roma.
Here is a player with real pace and genuine quality who will not shy away when things aren’t going well.
The 24-year-old Portuguese winger, who penned a new five-year contract with the club back in June, has been in good form for the Rossoneri in the early stages of this campaign, netting three goals and providing two assists in their first six games across all competitions.
That all makes Leao the standout star in Stefano Pioli’s Milan squad, a talent who is both passionate about what he does and where he is.
Nemanja Radonjić (Torino)
Radonjić is not a name that would necessarily feature highly on a spotlight on the top five players in the league, but he is a worthy contender for inclusion in the September list.
Torino have remained unbeaten during that time and the Serbian attacking midfielder has shone.
His double against Salernitana even moved them up to seventh in the table at one point.
Radonjic also netted a superb last gasp winner at home to Genoa a week earlier and was involved for nearly an hour in their 1-1 draw with Roma on Sunday.
Credit where it’s due.
Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Inter Milan)
Turkey captain Çalhanoğlu is exactly the kind of steadying influence that all successful teams need.
He has proved extremely consistent during September to date too.
He was considered one of their best performers in Sunday’s 1-0 Serie A win over Empoli.
Calhanoglu may not have found the back of the net, but did just about everything else.
The 29 year-old was at the heart of everything Inter did both in and out of possession. As has become the norm, he dictated the tempo of the match.
The previous week he scored from the penalty spot during the Milan derby romp – a repeat of what he achieved in another comfortable home success over Fiorentina a fortnight earlier.
It may be early days but, with so much inconsistency elsewhere, Inter are already my strong favourites for the title and the SBOTOP Serie A betting odds won’t dispute that sentiment either.
Andrea Pinamonti (Sassuolo)
Pinamonti is a man on fire.
The Sassuolo man left Inter this summer after a season long loan and is not looking back.
A month ago, a club director even tipped him to be called up for the Azzurri and his recent form suggests that reality may not be too far away.
Pinamonti began the month with the opener in a 3-1 home win against Verona, netted twice more in his side’s defeat at Frosinone last weekend and then scored what proved to be the winner in a memorable 4-2 success over Juventus, which inflicted a first defeat of the season on the ‘old lady’ of Turin.
If this form continues, don’t be too surprised if newly appointed Italy coach Luciano Spalletti names Pinamonti in his next squad for upcoming 2024 European Championship qualifiers.
Lecce Football Club
After what we have witnessed so far, it would not be right to omit a Lecce player from this list.
Yet in a month which has so far seen them defeat Genoa, draw at Monza (despite playing for half an hour with a man disadvantage) and see off Salernitana, I want to nominate the collective unit.
After finishing in 16th place last season, they will not be getting above themselves as they go into the sixth set of fixtures in third place but they deserve great credit.
That included a spirited comeback to stun Lazio in an upset 2-1 win at Stadio Via del Mare.
It would be one of the most incredible achievements in the history of Italian football if the Giallorossi stayed in their current position. Of course, it won’t happen. There’s more chance of Romelu Lukaku making a sensational return to Inter than Lecce finishing among the big boys.
Yet the opening five games at least gave the club’s sizeable support a chance to screenshot the Classifica with their team occupying a Champions League position.
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