There was magic in the air as Italian top-flight fans were treated to goals of the highest caliber in Round 17. There were big misses by Lorenzo Insigne, Giovanni Simeone, and Romelu Lukaku but the balls that made into the back of the net were worth remembering.
Inter should have kept the pace with crosstown rivals Milan but goalkeeping display and an afternoon of missed opportunities cost them. Meanwhile, the Rossoneri had another efficient night in front of goal.
The weekend belonged to Atalanta and Juventus, who put their rivals to the sword and came out easy winners. The Bergamaschi sent four past the hapless Benevento, while the Old Lady continued to hound Sassuolo all night.
There were 29 goals scored across the three match days, starting with an all-around performance by Josip Ilicic and finishing with an Antonio Candreva masterclass. Both players make our list of top five goals from Serie A Round 17 action.
Josip Ilicic vs. Benevento
Had Ilicic been alone on the pitch against Benevento, Atalanta would have still managed to win the game. The Slovenian was at his best, and there was no Sorcerer who could stop him. He finished the match with a goal and two assists, with the two assists also going into the back of the net. However, it was his solo run in which he tip-toed past Benevento defenders before taking a shy a goal that got everyone up in their seats.
Rafael Leao vs. Torino
The Milan train is not stopping anytime soon. The Rossoneri got over their defeat to Juventus with a commanding display against Torino. They were in control at the San Siro and bossed from start to finish. Theo Hernandez started the attack, with Brahim Diaz continuing forward once he was brought down. The Real Madrid loanee’s pass to Rafael Leao down the middle was perfect, and the young Portuguese did not disappoint from the box.
Achraf Hakimi vs. Roma
Points were shared as 90 minutes could not separate Inter and Roma. The fixture’s fate would have been different had Lautaro Martinez or Romelu Lukaku not decided to have an off day together. It was Achraf Hakimi who took the headlines, showing that his left leg is as supreme as his right. His calculated effort from outside the box gave Inter the lead, which they would squander four minutes before regulation time.
Antonio Candreva vs. Spezia
Spezia added cushion to their Serie A points table rankings with a 2-1 victory over Sampdoria. The bragging rights in their potential six-pointer went the hosts’ way but the moment of the game was for La Samp. Antonio Candreva started the Sampdoria counter-attack in his own half and then managed to sink it into the net as well. Jakub Jankto’s cross into the box found Candreva flying to meet it. The 54-time capped Italy international’s volley was straight at the goalkeeper, but he could not stop it from hitting the back of the net.
Danilo vs. Sassuolo
Andrea Pirlo’s men were fourth in the points table and welcomed the side just below them. Sassuolo stunned Napoli in their stride, and the Juventus had a marker on their backs. The Old Lady were fresh from their domination of league leaders Milan and did not allow Sassuolo to settle down despite taking time to settle down. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a wonder goal 45 minutes after Pedro Obiang’s red card, but no one would have stopped Danilo’s outrageous long-range effort. It was fiercely struck, and Andrea Consigli never had a chance.