SERIE A HIGHLIGHTS: Roma pursue record, Higuain ends drought, Hamsik chases Maradona

Matchday 16 still has two more games to go to reach completion. The biggest one, arguably will be Roma taking on AC Milan later today in a battle between second and third. Still, there are plenty of things to note from the games that did take place this weekend, and here are some of them.

Higuain's goal drought finally ends...and helps Juventus stay on top

December has been a much kinder month for Gonzalo Higuain. Serie A's record signing endured a frustrating November, in which his last goal for Juve across all comps was against Lyon. However, since the start of the new month, things appear to have finally gotten back on track. First, he scored in the team's 2-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb. This helped the Bianconeri become the only side in Europe to top their Champions League group and their domestic league.

14 - Juventus have collected 14 points in a Champions League group for the first time since 2005/06. Quality. pic.twitter.com/6BNtpOSacR

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) December 7, 2016

None of the other top-placed sides (Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Leicester City, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, and Monaco) can boast to that.

And it was the start of a good week for the ex-Napoli man, who grabbed a brace in his first ever Derby della Mole to ensure La Vecchia Signora got the better yet again of cross-town rivals Torino.

Roma hopes to match amazing record

10. That's the number of home games Roma have won in Serie A. This run extends back to the 2015/2016 season. In fact, the last team to beat the Giallorossi at the Stadio Olimpico was Atalanta back in November 2015. Should they reach 11, they will match a record set back in April 2008.

And the coach of the team at that time? None other than current boss Luciano Spalletti.

Napoli's captain inches closer to a club legend

Last week, Napoli skipper Marek Hamsik matched former colleague Edinson Cavani's total by netting his 104th goal for the Partenopei. The Slovak midfielder scored yet again, this time in a 5-0 demolition of Cagliari, which now puts him third on the all-time top goal-scorers list. He needs just ten more goals to match Diego Maradona's 115. One obviously will not want to bet against him to achieve that...and possibly before the end of the season.

Celebration time for Crotone

For those who don't know anything about Italian football, Crotone are a smaller side making their debut in Serie A this season. Predictably, however, the Squali have struggled in the top flight, but they were given a glimmer of hope this past weekend.

The team beat Pescara - another relegation candidate - 2-1. That marked their second ever win in Serie A (their first was against Chievo). And whilst they are still in the relegation zone, they can take heart: although Sassuolo are not doing well this season, the Neroverdi managed to avoid the drop back in their inaugural 2013/2014 Serie A campaign and finish in 17th. It goes without saying, however, that Crotone will have to string together a few more wins between now and May to achieve that.

Home pitch advantage? Unfortunately, not for Palermo...

Palermo lost 2-0 at the weekend to Chievo, and unfortunately, the Rosanero are in unwanted company. They are one of two sides who have never won a home game this season. In fact, they have zero points from their last eight matches at the Stadio Renzo Barbera.

The other side in this unfavored duo is Pescara, who have lost four and drawn four on their home turf so far this campaign.

Standings, standings, and more standings

*Note: Some of these could change depending on results of the Roma-Milan match later today:

Here's the table after 16 rounds (except Roma & Milan, who play tonight)

Pos.		Squadra	PG	V	P	S	GF	GS	DR	Pt	Forma
1		Internazionale	33	27	5	1	79	18	+61	86	VPVVP
2		Milan	33	21	6	6	64	39	+25	69	SPVVV
3		Juventus	33	18	10	5	47	26	+21	64	PPVSP
4		Bologna	33	17	11	5	48	26	+22	62	VPPVV
5		Roma	33	17	7	9	59	39	+20	58	VSVPV
6		Atalanta	32	16	6	10	59	37	+22	54	VPSVP
7		Lazio	33	16	4	13	42	35	+7	52	VVSVV
8		Napoli	33	13	10	10	50	41	+9	49	SPVSP
9		Fiorentina	32	13	8	11	45	36	+9	47	VPSSP
10		Torino	33	11	13	9	31	29	+2	46	PPSVV
11		Monza	33	11	10	12	35	43	-8	43	SPSSV
12		Genoa	33	9	12	12	35	40	-5	39	SPVPP
13		Lecce	33	8	11	14	30	48	-18	35	VVSPV
14		Cagliari	33	7	11	15	36	56	-20	32	PPVPS
15		Hellas Verona	33	7	10	16	31	44	-13	31	VPSPS
16		Empoli	33	8	7	18	26	48	-22	31	VSVSS
17		Udinese	33	4	16	13	31	50	-19	28	SSSPS
18		Frosinone	33	6	10	17	40	63	-23	28	PPPPS
19		Sassuolo	33	6	8	19	39	65	-26	26	SPPPS
20		Salernitana	33	2	9	22	26	70	-44	15	SSPSS

and here's how things are shaping up in the race for the Capocannoniere...which could also look different should Edin Dzeko add more to his total:

...as well as who's dishing out the assists:

So, what are the next big games? This one is always one not to miss:

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Juventus 1 - 0 Roma

dicembre 17, 2016 2:45Juventus Stadium

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