As I’ve followed Serie A closely in recent weeks, there is a question I have asked myself more than once: Does anybody want to win this title?
After all, the leading contenders have suffered setbacks aplenty in recent weeks and here was a further weekend in which points were dropped.
In fact, but for a 40-year-old Swedish footballing wonder, there could have been even more.
Elsewhere, Venezia had a result to be proud of, Juventus are still struggling and Dusan Vlahovic is making a name for himself with each passing week.
Zlatan is magic
He is a player who continues to inspire a young AC Milan squad and play football at the highest level while sparking controversy and embracing the wonder of being Zlatan with amusing gusto.
On Saturday evening he scored a bicycle kick in stoppage time to earn a point for the then-Serie A leaders, becoming just the third person in the 21st century to net 300 goals across Europe’s top five leagues.
In doing so, Zlatan Ibrahimovic equalled the achievement of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
A close-range finish from Beto put Udinese in front in the first half but Ibrahimovic provided yet another chapter in his long and illustrious career.
The Swede has now scored 404 league goals in total, including 16 for Swedish club Malmo, 35 for Dutch giants Ajax and 53 for MLS side LA Galaxy.
Those across Europe’s top five leagues – Italy’s Serie A, Spain’s La Liga, England’s Premier League, Germany’s Bundesliga and France’s Ligue 1 – now totals 300.
Florence is home to a real gem
Motormouth agent Mino Raiola has ruled Serie A clubs out of the race to sign Erling Braut Haaland, but the Norway striker hasn’t been as prolific as Fiorentina starlet Dusan Vlahovic in 2021.
The young talent demonstrated again why he is a player to watch with a double as Fiorentina saw off basement battlers Salernitana.
Vlahovic got his 31st Serie A goal of 2021 by springing the offside trap and unleashing a powerful left-foot strike that dipped under the bar.
The Serbian, who has scored more league goals than Salernitana, added his second with a close-range finish at the near post.
Venezia hold ‘Old Lady’ of Turin
Juventus had secured top spot in their group in the Champions League in midweek, finishing above reigning European champions Chelsea.
Good job they have some joy on the European front as their domestic form has produced few Serie A 2021 highlights.
Alvaro Morata’s delightful flick gave them the lead but that was the bright spot for the Bianconeri, who lost Paulo Dybala early to injury.
Early in the second half, Mattia Aramu impressively bent the ball around Wojciech Szczesny to the delight of the home support and move Venezia six points clear of the relegation zone.
Aramu is 26 years old, only made his Serie A debut this season and now has five goals in 14 appearances.
He is the toast of many Venetians today!
Champs are on top
After a weekend when many of the SBOTOP Serie A 2021 betting odds were turned on their head, an element of normal service was resumed on Sunday evening.
Not before Napoli were surprisingly beaten at home by Empoli, while Lazio lost at Sassuolo, but the reigning champions weren’t going the same way.
Written off at the start of the season by many, including this writer, Inter are very much back in business.
Their 4-0 success over Cagliari on Sunday night moved them to the top of the table for the first time all season., thanks to a Lautaro Martinez brace, a superb Alexis Sanchez volley and a Hakan Calhanoglu screamer.
Just before the half hour, Martinez headed home the opener to set them on their way.
A perfect volley from Sanchez from 12 yards doubled the advantage before Calhanoglu rifled in a ferocious strike into the far top corner from just outside the box.
A delicate dink on the volley from Martinez completed the scoring and it would have been more but for the excellent Alessio Cragno who made a string of fine saves, including keeping out a Martinez penalty.
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