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Following every round of Serie A fixtures, Pulse Sports presents the most impressive performers of the matchday.
AC Milan’s 4-0 demolition of Napoli at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium was the biggest shock of the game week thanks to Rafael Leao’s brilliance. Here are the other top performers of game week 28 in Serie A.
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Goalkeeper
Wladimiro Falcone (Lecce)
It is unusual that the goalkeeper on the losing side of a game gets accolades but Wladimiro Falcone’s display in Lecce’s 1-0 loss to Empoli was too good to be overlooked.
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Falcone made six saves and was successful with all four of his runouts. It is even more impressive that the only goal he conceded was from the penalty spot.
Defenders
Stefan Posch (Bologna)
Austrian defender Stefan Posch continued his superb goalscoring form for Bologna this season with his fifth of the season in a 3-0 win against Udinese.
The 25-year-old scored an absolute screamer from 30 yards out less than three minutes into the game and set the tone for a convincing victory and clean sheet.
Ardian Ismajli (Empoli)
Albanian defender Ardian Ismajli was a key reason for Empoli’s clean sheet in the 1-0 win at home to Lecce in which he contributed two clearances and a block.
He also had one interception and tackle each as well as 50% of his aerial duels but perhaps more impressively, he managed two key passes.
Mattia Caldara (Spezia)
It is strange that a defender scores an own goal and still makes the team of the week but Mattia Caldara’s performance for Spezia in a 1-1 draw against Salernitana was too good to be overlooked.
Caldara had 11 clearances including one off the goalline and blocked three shots all while completing 80% of his passes.
Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina)
Giacomo Bonaventura scored the only goal of the game for Fiorentina in a win away at Inter Milan but the real hero of the day was Cristiano Biraghi.
The Italian left fullback was in inspired form against his former club with three clearances, four tackles and four key passes in what was a complete performance.
Midfielders
Giacomo Bonaventura (Fiorentina)
Giacomo Bonaventura scored the match-winner for Fiorentina, heading home a rebound in the 53rd minute to secure three points against Inter Milan.
The former Milan midfielder had 44 touches and also played four key passes with an 83% pass completion rate.
Gini Wijnaldum (AS Roma)
Dutch midfielder Gini Wijnaldum scored the opening goal in the 56th minute for Roma and set the tempo for a 3-0 win at home to Sampdoria.
Beyond his well-taken header, Wijnaldum also completed 85% of his passes including two key passes with a 100% dribble success rate.
Nikola Moro (Bologna)
Croatian midfielder Nikola Moro was a key component of Bologna’s dominant 3-0 win at home to Udinese with a goal and an assist.
Moro scored from outside the box in the 12th minute to make it 2-0 to Bologna and then set up Musa Barrow in the second half for the third goal.
Strikers
Rafael Leao (AC Milan)
Undoubtedly the star of the matchday, Portuguese winger Rafael Leao was unstoppable for AC Milan much to the dismay of Napoli who were on the wrong end of a 4-0 defeat at home.
Leao scored a fantastic brace, one in each half both with either foot while also completing 79% of his passes.
Paulo Dybala (AS Roma)
Paulo Dybala ran the show for Roma in a 3-0 win against Sampdoria as the Argentine was at the heart of everything good for the home side.
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Dybala played eight key passes and created one big chance on top of a penalty he converted to make it 2-0 to Roma after which he played a dummy for El Sharawy to add the third goal.
Francesco Caputo (Empoli)
Italian striker Francesco Caputo scored the only goal for Empoli in a 1-0 win at home to Lecce which makes up his case for inclusion in the team of the week.
In all honesty, Caputo did not do much else but play one key pass but he kept his nerve to convert a high-pressure penalty on a match week where goals were scarce for centre forwards.
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