Top 5 Forward Duos in Europe in 2017/18
There was a time in recent years when attacks were all about which team had the best trio leading the line. Real Madrid and Barcelona championed the use of such attacking tridents and the popular 'BBC vs MSN' debate was born.
However, different circumstances pushed both sides to abandon that philosophy and focus on using duos instead. And they aren't the only team to do so.
A number of teams have had two key players become the focus of the attack no matter the formation - evident from the bulk of goalscoring they have been involved in. We look at the five best forward duos in Europe's top leagues this season.
#5 Mauro Icardi & Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan)
If there is one partnership that has flourished in Serie A this season, it wasn't at Juventus. Argentina may have a number of forwards to choose from but Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala have both been outscored by Mauro Icardi.
The 25-year-old forward has scored 28 times for Inter this season - just one behind Capocannoniere leader Ciro Immobile with one game to go. And to make things even better, Inter face Lazio in the final game to decide who could go through to the Champions League with the Nerazzurri needing a win while Lazio only need a draw.
Icardi would not have scored 28 goals if not for Ivan Perisic, though. The Croatian forward, who drops to midfield in a 4-2-3-1 or plays wide in a 4-3-3, has assisted Icardi 7 times in Serie A - more than any other player has assisted a teammate in the league.
"I always tell Mauro not to turn his back to me, because he can never know what I’m up to otherwise." - Perisic
In fact, Perisic has even assisted Icardi using his hands. A rare assist from a throw-in saw Perisic find Icardi to open the scoring in the 38th second against Verona.