Now that was some season!
AC Milan won the Scudetto for the first time in 11 years as the campaign went down to the very last weekend in a battle between the two Milan giants, and Inter lost the Serie A crown they had worked so hard to win last season.
The length and breadth of the country saw some breathtaking football from Italy’s finest players, but who were the best of the lot from 1 to 11?
Here is my Serie A Team of the Year, and how many of these stars would make your 11?
Goalkeeper: Guglielmo Vicario (Empoli)
With keepers of the quality of Samir Handanovic and Rui Patricio in the league, there was some competition for the number 1 jersey but this SBOTOP writer has Vicario as his standout stopper.
The 25-year-old is at Empoli, on loan from Cagliari, and he put in some brave performances. And at 6’4” he is a fine shot stopper, making 152 saves – 25 more than anyone else.
Ironically, Cagliari ended up in 18th place and so are heading for Serie B, while Empoli finished in a comfortable 14th thanks to the confidence of their on-loan keeper.
Centre-backs: Gleison Bremer (Torino) and Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
At 25 years of age, Torino’s Brazilian centre-back is approaching his prime and he had a phenomenal campaign, making 466 recoveries as the only player in the league to make over 400.
He has plenty of pace and energy, so who would Breison want as a partner? The great Chiellini of course! Now 37 years of age, the old warhorse had another big campaign for Juve, and having won Euro 2020 with the Azzurri, he is soon to bow out as one of the best of all time.
Left-back: Theo Hernandez (AC Milan)
Since joining Milan from Real Madrid in 2019, Hernandez has been one of the standout stars of Serie A.
The French international is one of the world’s best left-backs, brilliant in the tackle and dangerous going forward. He also has plenty of pace and a pinpoint cross, with as good an assists record as many a forward player.
Right-back: David Calabria (AC Milan)
On the other flank, Milan have Calabria and so do I. Like Hernandez, he is strong at the back and exciting when he flies down the flank.
He has played as a defencive midfielder and a left-back, but being naturally right-footed, he has now found his best position.
The Serie A 2022 betting odds backed Inter Milan for much of the campaign. But much like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson make Liverpool a formidable side in the Premier League, Calabria and Hernandez are a brilliant pair for I Rossoneri and they made the difference.
Holding midfielder: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio)
With an impressive 10 assists, Milinkovic-Savic is pretty much the perfect midfielder as he sits in the top 10 in terms of recoveries too.
The big Serb is as good as a defencive midfielder as he is as the general and, a box-to-box runner, he had the second-highest average distance covered per game at over 11.5km, beaten only by Inter’s Marcelo Brozovic.
Attacking midfielder: Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)
At the start of the campaign, Napoli’s exceptional Serie A 2022 results, winning 10 of the first 11 league matches, gave Insigne a great chance to leave the club he loves as a Scudetto winner. In the end it wasn’t to be, but not for the want of trying as the Napoli skipper scored 11 goals and made eight assists.
Insigne is on his way to Toronto for the 2022/23 campaign and the much-loved player made an emotional farewell at the end of his final game against Genoa, saying: “I gave everything, I have no regrets. The fans have always shown me their affection for me. I will always carry it with me.”
Right wing: Right Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo)
With 15 assists, Sassuolo’s flying winger was the best crosser of the ball in the league and, after impressing at Euro 2022, he has attracted attention from some of Europe’s top clubs.
Sassuolo would love to keep hold of their all time top scorer, but they will have to see off some serious attention.
Left wing: Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan)
The season ended in disappointment for Inter Milan but their tricky winger Calhanoglu can hold his head high as he contributed 13 assists.
The Turkish international is a free-kick specialist and his dribbling, vision, and crossing skills make him one of the most exciting players in Italy.
Strikers: Ciro Immobile (Lazio) and Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus)
He doesn’t always do the business for the Azzurri, but Immobile is consistently the best striker in Serie A and Lazio fans won’t hear a word said against him. Now 32 years of age, Immobile has just won his fourth Capocannoniere and that surely gives him legendary status in Rome.
At the other end of his career, the Bianconeri’s 22-year-old Serbian hitman Vlahovic pushed Immobile close with 24 goals to the Lazio man’s 27.
Juventus were in something for a mess in the first half of the campaign, losing four league games before the end of October, and the signing of Vlahovic from Fiorentina turned the Old Lady’s season around as she qualified for the Champions League once again.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
