5 players who are exceeding expectations in Serie A this season
Serie A 2021-22 season has been an enthralling one so far. It has been more open than it ever was in the last 10 years. Juventus' monopoly broke last season and we now have Inter Milan, AC Milan and Napoli fighting it out for the Scudetto.
There has been multiple leaders at the top but defending champions Inter Milan have gradually reclaimed their pole position. They have established a slender lead of four points with one game in hand, and it looks like they are again going to be the team to beat for the Scudetto.
Serie A has seen some exceptional individual performances this season
We have witnessed some absolutely sensational individual performances in Serie A this season. Players like Dušan Vlahović, Ciro Immobile, Lautaro Martínez and Lorenzo Insigne are having an exceptional season. They are pushing the standard of individual performance in Italy to the very top.
However, they are top players out of whom top performances are expected. There are also players who are not in the limelight and expectations from them are low. There are players like these every season who exceed expectations and put in the hard work of punching above their weight.
On that note, let's take a look at the players who are exceeding expectations in Serie A this season.
#5 Aaron Hickey (Bologna)
In recent years we have seen an import of English talent in Serie A, but it is one Scottish talent that has been making a lot of noise lately. Unsurprisingly, it is another exponential left back from Scotland. What is it that the Scots are feeding their left-backs (Andy Robertson of Liverpool and Kieran Tierney of Arsenal are both brilliant at their jobs)?
Aaron Hickey joined Bologna from Heart of Midlothian in 2020, and has truly risen to the occasion this season. The 19-year-old has been solid defensively and scored four goals in the league while bombing forward.
🏴 Spanish newspaper Marca including Aaron Hickey in their team of young talents that are ready to ‘explode’ in 2022. https://t.co/BPKZPrBuOe
The Scottish’s overlapping runs from the left side have drawn him comparisons with his senior compatriot Andy Robertson.
Aaron Hickey’s stake has risen exponentially in the last few months and has attracted a host of Premier League clubs. Steven Gerrard is said to be a great admirer of the left back since his Heart of Midlothian days. He is reportedly a key transfer target for Aston Villa in the summer, despite the Villans signing Lucas Digne in January.
# 4 Antonio Candreva (Sampdoria)
The Italians are definitely drinking some magic potion which others are not. They just keep getting better with age. Francesco Totti, Daniele De Rossi, Gianluigi Buffon and Antonio Di Natale are just some of the names who have performed at the top level well into the twilight of their careers.
Antonio Candreva, who is soon going to turn 35, seems to have had the same magic potion.
The Sampdoria winger, who has been playing in Serie A for more than 12 years now, has always been underrated. Candreva made a name for himself at Lazio, which earned him a move to Internazionale. He then switched to his current team Sampdoria in 2020.
Antonio Candreva! What a hit what a game https://t.co/uliNCq0gTW
Jumping into the 2021-22 season, Candreva is having one stellar campaign. The veteran has contributed to 11 goals in Serie A so far this season for the Blucerchiati, with six goals and five assists. He also sits on top in terms of key passes in the league.
Sampdoria are not having a good season and are just three points off the relegation zone. They will be hoping that Candreva’s good form continues and guides them to safety come May.