Serie A 2018/19: 5 players to watch out for
The Italian Serie A has been the breeding ground for some of the most talented players to have graced the game. Players such as Gianni Rivera, Jose Altafini, Francesco Totti, Paolo Maldini etc., rose to prominence by showcasing their talents in Italy's premier club competition.
Serie A 2018/19 has seen defending champions Juventus lead the table after Gameweek 3 with wins over Chievo, Lazio and Parma.
Sassuolo, Fiorentina and SPAL 2013 make up the top four places while Inter, who invested heavily in the summer transfer window, started slowly as the Nerazzurri picked up four points out of a possible nine. Last season's runners-up Napoli secured six points and find themselves placed fifth in the table.
While the onus will be on experienced campaigners and big money signings such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain, Leonardo Bonucci and Mauro Icardi to continue their exploits and deliver for their clubs, the younger players would use this opportunity to seek greener pastures or enhance their reputation after performing well throughout the season.
In this article, we take a look at five players to watch out for in the 2018/19 Serie A season.
#1 Amadou Diawara
Guinean international Amadou Diawara started his career in Serie C club San Marino and a string of impressive performances saw Bologna's sporting director Panteleo Corvino act swiftly to secure his services. After an impactful debut campaign at Bologna, Diawara was snapped up by SSC Napoli where he operates as a defensive midfielder.
Operating at the base of the midfield, Diawara's main task is to break up play and maintain the game's flow. His impressive positioning, tackling, awareness and passing range make him a perfect fit for the Naples side, who expect him to fill in the void left by Jorginho.
Diawara is never shy of playing between the lines and helping Napoli transition from defence to attack. An impact substitute, Diawara averages 0.95 key passes per 90 minutes, making 421 forward passes compared to 292 backward passes and successfully completed 100% of his take ons in the 2017/18 Serie A season.
The Guinean started as a substitute in Napoli's first two fixtures and made an instant impact while coming on. His immediate impact was seen when he provided a through ball to Allan, in a move which resulted in Napoli scoring the winner against Milan.
It remains to be seen what Diawara can do when started regularly, but he has shown his worth whenever called upon.