During the course of the long campaign, some players start on a strong note but end up fading as the season progresses. On the contrary, some manage to overcome a slow start, as they hit their stride when it matters the most. Therefore, here are the Top 5 Serie A stars who improved with the second half of the season.
5 – Simy (Crotone)
Despite playing for the team who’s at the very bottom of the Serie A table, the Nigerian striker put on a massive second half of the season, especially when he scored in seven matches in a row between March and April.
Although the 29-year-old managed to score some goals earlier in the campaign, those stats pale compared to those he hit since the turn of the new year.
The top scorers in Europe's top-five leagues since March:
?? Iheanacho – 10 goals
?? Simy – 12 goals pic.twitter.com/OHDCt3kQ4l— Goal (@goal) May 7, 2021
4 – Dusan Vlahovic (Fiorentina)
Yet another striker who took his game to another level in the second half of the Serie A season. Whilst Simy’s goals were unable to save the hopeless Crotone, his Serbian counterpart dragged Fiorentina to safety with his 21 strikes so far this term.
In 2021, the Serbian has so far scored 17 league goals, including a hat-trick and two braces, as he cemented himself as one of the most sought-after young bombers in Europe.
Dusan Vlahovic is the fourth foreign Fiorentina player to score at least 20 goals in a single Serie A campaign ?
He joins Gabriel Batistuta, Kurt Hamrin and Pedro Petrone ⚜️#ForzaViola ? #Fiorentina #FiorentinaLazio pic.twitter.com/OAEGcvN7Ld
— ACF Fiorentina English (@ACFFiorentinaEN) May 8, 2021
3 – Ruslan Malinovskyi (Atalanta)
The attacking midfielder has been plying his trade with Atalanta since his arrival from Genk in 2019.
Whilst he always displayed some flashes of talent, it wasn’t until the departure of Alejandro Gomez in the winter that the Ukrainian exploded to the scene as a true pillar within Gian Piero Gaperini’s side.
Since late March, the playmaker has been on fire, contributing in 5 goals and 7 assists for La Dea.
? #Malinovskyi scatenato ad aprile! ? Per il 2° mese consecutivo è lui il vostro #PlayeroftheMonth! Complimenti Ruslan! ?
?? Malina was on fire in April! ? He's your #AtalantaPOTM for the 2nd straight month! Well deserved Ruslan! ?
By https://t.co/mwUMG9NQac#GoAtalantaGo pic.twitter.com/UWgIsaJvEZ
— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) May 5, 2021
2 – Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
The second Nigerian striker on the list was initially unable to justify his 70 million euros price tag, struggling between injuries, Covid-19 and some forgettable displays earlier in the campaign.
Nonetheless, the former Lille player emerged as one of the most important players for Napoli in their late charge for a Champions League spot next season.
The 22-year-old scored only two Serie A goals in 2020, but has for found the back of the net eight times since March.
Victor Osimhen has scored five goals in his last four Serie A games for Napoli ?? pic.twitter.com/6xAjrD9sdU
— Goal (@goal) May 8, 2021
1 – Christian Eriksen (Inter)
Here’s one of the most unlikely turnarounds of the Serie A season. The Dane arrived to Inter in January 2020, but failed to meet the expectations of his manager Antonio Conte, who ended up offering a handful of minutes at the end of the matches.
But since scoring the last-minute freekick against Milan in the Coppa Italia Quarter Finals, the former Tottenham Hotspur player has seen his fortunes dramatically changing for the better.
Once considered to have one foot outside of the club, the midfielder suddenly became a reliable starter, helping the newly-crowned champions in successfully reaching finish-line.
Christian Eriksen to Gazzetta: "I'm so happy with Antonio Conte now, 6 months ago I had chances to leave the club but everything has changed… and I want to stay. I don't know if Conte is staying at Inter or not, it's up to him and to the club, they'll decide together". ??
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 7, 2021