There’s a particular satisfaction in watching football’s forgotten men remind everyone why they still cash professional paychecks. This week’s Serie A action served up a feast of redemption arcs and tactical vindications—the kind of performances that make sporting directors silently pat themselves on the back while fans wonder where these players have been hiding. From Genoa’s penalty box to Inter’s left flank, January 11th proved that sometimes the best investment isn’t the one you make—it’s the one you didn’t have to.
## **The Last Line of Defense**
**Nicola Leali** turned Genoa’s goalmouth into his personal exhibition space this week, delivering a performance that had all the hallmarks of a man playing for his contract. Seven saves in ninety minutes—that’s a stop every thirteen minutes for those keeping count—while conceding just once tells you everything about the siege he weathered. His distribution accuracy of 47% won’t grace any passing compilation videos, but when you’re facing that volume of shots, nobody’s expecting you to moonlight as a sweeper-keeper. This was pure, unadulterated shot-stopping, the kind that keeps relegation-threatened sides in matches they have no business competing in.
## **The Clinical Finishers**
**Nikola Krstović** offered Atalanta exactly what they pay him for: cold-blooded finishing. Two goals in seventy-seven minutes represents the sort of efficiency that makes Moneyball disciples weep with joy. His passing accuracy hovered around 57%, which would concern you if he were a regista—but he’s not. He’s a penalty box predator, the kind who drifts into blind spots and punishes defensive lapses. In Gian Piero Gasperini’s high-octane system, where chances arrive in clusters, having someone who converts them without needing twenty touches is worth its weight in Champions League qualification points.
**Anastasios Douvikas** matched Krstović’s goal tally while adding a layer of technical competence that makes him more than just a finisher. Perfect passing accuracy—100% across ninety minutes—suggests someone who understands when to release the ball and when to drive forward. That single key pass and willingness to drop in defensively (one tackle recorded) hints at a complete forward, not just a goal-hanger. Como paid modest money for him, and performances like this make rival clubs start running spreadsheets on his release clause.
## **The Midfield Architects**
**Nicolò Fagioli** is making Fiorentina look very smart indeed. Five key passes, 94% passing accuracy, and five tackles—this is the complete midfield performance that justifies tactical boards and match preparation. The assist was nice; the underlying numbers are what matter. When you’re threading passes at that accuracy rate while also winning the ball back five times, you’re effectively doing the work of two players. His engine allows Fiorentina’s attacking stars to focus on what they do best while he handles the unglamorous work of making the team function.
**Federico Dimarco** reminded everyone why Inter’s left channel remains one of Serie A’s most dangerous thoroughfares. A goal, five key passes, 83% accuracy, plus two interceptions and three tackles—this is the modern wing-back blueprint. He’s simultaneously a creative outlet and a defensive shield, the kind of hybrid player that Simone Inzaghi’s system demands. In possession, he’s a quasi-winger; out of it, he’s a full-back. The versatility alone makes him worth double what Inter paid, and performances like this ensure they’ll never sell him for less than triple.
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## **Pick of the Week: Nicolò Fagioli**
Strip away the goals and the highlight-reel saves, and you’re left with Fagioli’s masterclass in midfield control. Five key passes created opportunities his teammates should have buried. Five tackles won back possession when Fiorentina needed it most. And that 94% passing accuracy? That’s the difference between a team that controls matches and one that merely participates in them.
In an era where midfielders are often asked to specialize, Fagioli offers something increasingly rare: completeness. He’s the type of asset that appreciates in value with every ninety minutes played, the kind sporting directors build squads around rather than replace. While strikers grabbed the headlines with their goals, Fagioli did what truly elite midfielders do—he made everyone around him better while making it look effortless.
