Round 21 of the 2016/2017 Serie A season is now settled, and we already are looking ahead to some Coppa Italia action midweek. However, there were plenty of talking points that saw some changes in the league standings. Several of the bigger sides came out victorious, whilst others dropped points, and the battle to avoid the drop is heating up. Let's have a look at what transpired across Italy this past weekend.
So, Roma's Edin Dzeko is on par with Lionel Messi...
Not in terms of Ballon d'Or wins, obviously. Or Champions League titles. Or any of the other impressive stats the Barcelona ace has racked up over his glittering career. But there is one thing the ex-Manchester City man can boast about, especially with his impressive goal-scoring record this season:
14 - #Dzeko has scored 14 home goals in this season (all comps), a joint-record with #Messi among the Big 5 Euro leagues (all comps). Home.
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) January 22, 2017
Dzeko is second in the running for the Capocannoniere, which is pretty impressive especially considering his rough start to life in Italy last term.
...and speaking of Roma, they are still going strong at the Stadio Olimpico
Juventus clinched a 27th home win this weekend to further extend their record-setting run, which also is an all-time league record. However, Roma are also quietly going strong as well, especially at home. The Giallorossi have made it clear that they're not going away quietly and will try to push the Bianconeri all the way as they chase their first Scudetto title since the 2000/2001 season.
Roma's past few wins have not been the most spectacular, but they have been getting the job done, and Dzeko's effort was enough to give them all three points against Cagliari. That marks win number 13, but it's no case of unlucky 13's for the Lupi. In fact, it is a notable milestone:
13 - #Roma have won their last 13 home matches, a joint-record in their top league history (the last time was in November 1930). Magic.
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) January 22, 2017
Their next home game is against Fiorentina next month.
A huge milestone...and he's not even old enough to drive (legally)
Gianluigi Donnarumma is just 17, meaning he's not even old enough to drive (at least not a full-service car) yet in his native Italy. He will have to wait just a bit longer to get his adult driver's permit. However, that has not stopped him from racking up appearances for AC Milan over the past few seasons. On Saturday, the Rossoneri took on Napoli. Whilst they were unable to stage a comeback and ended up losing 2-1, it was a big day for Donnarumma as it marked his 50th appearance for the Diavolo since making his debut in October 2015 at the ripe old age of 16 years and 242 days.
Donnarumma made his 50th appearance for Milan on Saturday, but has been linked with a move away from the Stadio San Siro due to his growing profile in European football
Gonzalo Higuain's red hot form continues...and he matches a record no one's set for over a decade
Juventus bounced back from a surprise defeat to Fiorentina by maintaining their strong record against Lazio on Sunday. Goals from Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain were enough to give Massimiliano Allegri all three points on what was also a personal milestone for the former midfielder, as it was his 300th game in charge. (So far, he has a record of 171 wins, 62 draws, and 67 losses).
Higuain's goal was his 13th in 11 meetings with Lazio, which makes the Biancocelesti arguably among his favorite teams to score again. More important, in scoring on Sunday afternoon, it marked his fifth straight match in which he has found the net. The last time anyone did this was back in 2005, during the days of David Trezeguet.
However, Higuain has quite some ways to go to match the nine consecutive games set by Trezeguet during that run.
The floundering Delfini propping up the table...no home sweet home for them
Pescara also set a rather unwanted record this weekend. The Delfini, to date, have won just one game all season. And even that "win" was not an actual victory, but rather one by default earlier this season. Sassuolo had fielded an ineligible player, causing the Neroverdi to be punished by having their 2-1 win turned into a 3-0 victory for Pescara.
Well, since then, they continue to be the only team in Serie A still to win an actual match. Sassuolo got their revenge on them, too, by beating them yet again, and this time, their 3-1 victory will still stand. Pescara have now lost 19 straight home matches. No other team has done worse. They also are the only team without a clean sheet so far this term.
Atalanta continuing to put faith in youngsters
Gian Piero Gasperini's Atalanta continue to make waves in Italy. La Dea have impressed this season, and despite missing several key players through injury, transfers, and international duty, they managed to rebound from a defeat by grinding out a tough and gritty 1-0 win over Sampdoria on Sunday.
Notable for Atalanta and Gasperini is the team's reliance on youth. Young Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie is one of the team's biggest stars, and he is only 20 years old. With Kessie away at the AFCON tournament, Gasperini had to turn to other options and decided to give debuts to 17-year-olds Alessandro Bastoni and Filippo Melegoni. That makes Atalanta the first team in Europe's "Big 5" leagues to field two players born January 1, 1999 or later in one game this season.
Serie A Matchday 21 rankings: Milan out of top five, Genoa continue to tumble whilst Inter close gap
Here's how things are shaping up in Serie A after 21 rounds...will there be more changes after matchday 22 this coming weekend?
| Pos. | Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | P | Form | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Internazionale | 32 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 77 | 17 | +60 | 83 | DWWDW | |
| 2 | Milan | 32 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 63 | 37 | +26 | 69 | DWWWW | |
| 3 | Juventus | 32 | 18 | 9 | 5 | 45 | 24 | +21 | 63 | DWLDD | |
| 4 | Bologna | 32 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 45 | 25 | +20 | 59 | DDWWL | |
| 5 | Roma | 31 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 56 | 35 | +21 | 55 | WDWD | |
| 6 | Atalanta | 31 | 15 | 6 | 10 | 57 | 36 | +21 | 51 | DLWDL | |
| 7 | Lazio | 32 | 15 | 4 | 13 | 41 | 35 | +6 | 49 | WLWWL | |
| 8 | Napoli | 32 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 50 | 40 | +10 | 49 | DWLDD | |
| 9 | Torino | 32 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 31 | 29 | +2 | 45 | DLWWD | |
| 10 | Fiorentina | 31 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 43 | 36 | +7 | 44 | DLLDD | |
| 11 | Monza | 32 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 34 | 41 | -7 | 43 | DLLWW | |
| 12 | Genoa | 32 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 35 | 39 | -4 | 39 | DWDDL | |
| 13 | Lecce | 32 | 7 | 11 | 14 | 27 | 48 | -21 | 32 | WLDWL | |
| 14 | Cagliari | 32 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 34 | 54 | -20 | 31 | DWDLW | |
| 15 | Udinese | 31 | 4 | 16 | 11 | 30 | 47 | -17 | 28 | LDLW | |
| 16 | Hellas Verona | 32 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 30 | 44 | -14 | 28 | DLDLW | |
| 17 | Empoli | 32 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 48 | -23 | 28 | LWLLL | |
| 18 | Frosinone | 32 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 40 | 63 | -23 | 27 | DDDLL | |
| 19 | Sassuolo | 32 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 39 | 62 | -23 | 26 | DDDLW | |
| 20 | Salernitana | 32 | 2 | 9 | 21 | 26 | 68 | -42 | 15 | LDLLL |
