Serie A returns this weekend after three-month hiatus; Juventus lead Lazio by a point with Inter Milan in pursuit
Saturday 20 June 2020 08:32, UK
It’s going to be a thrilling race for the title in Italy.
The all-conquering Juventus lead the way by just a point, as Lazio target their first title since Sven-Goran Eriksson led them to success in 2000.
Inter Milan have lost some ground after back-to-back defeats by the two teams above them but Antonio Conte's side cannot be ruled out just yet.
Plenty of former Premier League players could have a big say in where the Italian title ends up this season.
Where else to start than the former Manchester United player? The 35-year-old already has 21 goals this season from just 22 league games, as he chases the seventh title of his career.
Juve's lead may be slender but if Ronaldo hits the ground running after the restart he could single-handedly guide the club to their ninth consecutive Scudetto.
His last goal equalled a Serie A record, with Ronaldo scoring in 11 consecutive games within a season, matched only by Gabriel Batistuta and Fabio Quagliarella. That goal also made him the joint-highest scoring Portuguese player in Serie A history, level with Rui Costa on 42 goals. Rui Costa played 330 games in Serie A. Ronaldo's played 52.
Another former Manchester United player sits just a place behind Ronaldo in the goal charts. Romelu Lukaku is experiencing something of a renaissance at Inter Milan, having scored 17 league goals in 25 games.
That's already more than he managed in either league campaign at Manchester United. In fact, in his career he's only outscored that twice, in his last two seasons at Everton.
But, in the era of the front three, it's his partnership with Lautaro Martinez that's been so thrilling, and somewhat nostalgic, to watch. Martinez has added 11 goals himself in a breakthrough season that has seen him rocket to the top of Barcelona's most-wanted list.
Lazio's Ciro Immobile and Felipe Caicedo are the only forward pairing to have scored more than Inter's front two this season.
While Lukaku's debut season is getting the headlines, another former Merseyside-man continues a quiet renaissance of his own. Luis Alberto played just nine league games for Liverpool after they signed the attacking Spaniard in 2013. His potential was obvious but his impact was little and he was sold to Lazio for a loss after three seasons.
Liverpool's loss was certainly Lazio's gain. Luis Alberto has not only turned into one of their key men but also one of the best playmakers in the league. He topped the assists chart two seasons ago and looks set to replicate that feat this season, leading the way with 11.
He's chipped in with some crucial goals too, getting the opener in the Super Cup win over Juventus and the equaliser in the 'Derby della Capitale' against bitter rivals Roma. Another former Liverpool player has played a huge part in his success. Lucas Leiva, who played nearly 350 games for the club, is the midfield anchor that gives Luis Alberto the freedom to attack.
Even at 42, it's an achievement to keep Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon out of the team and that's exactly what former Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has done this season. He's doing it very well too, with the highest clean sheet rate in the league.
Szczesny enjoyed two loan spells at Roma before he signed permanently for Juventus from Arsenal. In his second season at Roma, he kept none other than Liverpool's Alisson out of the team. He's now secured his spot as Juve's number one and, under the tutelage of one of the greatest ever goalkeepers, could be a key figure in the club's title push.
Szczesny was joined by one of his former Arsenal team-mates when Aaron Ramsey swapped the Emirates for the Allianz last summer. The midfielder got off to the perfect start to life overseas when he opened his account on his Serie A debut. That was not to be a sign of things to come though, with some trickier months ahead as he suffered with form and fitness.
But just before the league was put on pause Ramsey hit his stride, scoring what would prove to be a crucial winner against SPAL in the penultimate league game.
Then came his biggest performance of the season. In the huge clash with Inter, Ramsey scored the first, assisted the second, and played the full 90 minutes for the first time in a Juventus shirt. Quite simply, they would not be top of the league without him. If he continues that form, he might just keep them there.
No troubles settling in from the off for former Manchester United full-back Ashley Young. Since arriving in January, he's only missed one minute of league action for Antonio Conte's side. Given a more expansive role at left wing-back, Young has already contributed a goal and an assist in his five Serie A games.
Young's wealth of experience might well be his biggest attribute though. Of Inter's last starting XI, he was the only player to have won a league title in one of Europe's top five leagues.
It's for this reason that he could have a bigger impact on any title push than fellow January signing Christian Eriksen or former United team-mate Alexis Sanchez, who have both struggled for game time in Italy.
