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The 2017-18 Italian Serie A witnessed some intriguing contests among the best clubs in Italian football. Juventus once again dominated the entire season and recaptured the title for the 7th time in a row, while Napoli finished second, producing some quality performances too.
Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri had stated that although Juventus couldn’t make it to the semi-finals of the Champions League, 'motivation is always there at Juventus', meaning they could do well once more in the next Serie A season as well as the 2018-19 Champions League season.
Amidst this, there were some spirited performances from some of the most exceptional players who captured the fan’s imagination with some quality goal-scoring abilities. As a result, we take a look at the Serie A's five top scorers, who produced some stellar performances in the 2017-18 Italian Serie A season.
#5 Dries Mertens
Dries Mertens seemed to reach his prime form this season and produced some magnificent performances. The Belgian troubled the defences with his lightning pace, while his finishing also looked immaculate. Mertens also co-operated well with the midfield.
Mertens has set really high standards on the field for next season, as far as his attacking style of play is concerned which has made Napoli's forward line as sharp as ever. The Belgian has scored 18 goals in 38 Serie A games this season and will be looking to continue his excellent run of form at the World Cup.
The forward's best performance of the season was arguably in his side's 3-2 away win in Genoa, as he helped his team come back from the early 1-0 deficit by scoring twice in the first half.
While Mertens has been linked with several top clubs ahead of travelling to Russia with the Belgian World Cup squad, he recently confirmed that he is very happy in Naples and wants to have success in Italy.
#4 Fabio Quagliarella
Fabio Quagliarella produced some thrilling performances in the 2017-18 Serie A season. Although the Italian’s performances were overshadowed by other big names in the Serie A, the forward showed his class with some wonderful finishes. The 35-year-old is a versatile player who can play as a second striker as well as an attacking midfielder.
The former Juventus man is known to be technically strong and showed his class by scoring from unusual positions, aswell as showing his effectiveness in aerial duels. He scored 19 goals in 35 games in the 2017-18 Serie A season with 6 assists to his name.
Quagliarella's ability to win the ball from the opposition has always been one of his greatest assets. He was a threat for all Serie A teams because of his ability to break the rival's defense with his combativeness.
#3 Paulo Dybala
Although Dybala didn’t look at his best in the Champions League, the Argentine was a constant threat for his Serie A oppositions. The 26-year-old demonstrated his predatory skills and his accurate finishes, scoring 22 goals in 33 matches in the 2017-18 Serie A season with 5 assists to his name.
His ability to position himself in goal-scoring positions has always made it difficult for defences to track his movements and the pacey forward can floor his opponents with his speed and deceptive moves.
Dybala was always hailed as a promising talent, as the former Palermo player can play as an attacking midfielder as well as the main striker, if need be. He formed a dangerous partnership along with Gonzalo Higuain for the champions, terrorizing the best defenses in Italy.
His attacking runs proved way too much for Benevento, Genoa and Sassuolo, as the Argentine scored three hat-tricks against all three of those opponents. His creative dribbles combined with his counter-attacking abilities looked too hot to handle thorughout the entire season, making him the Serie A's most lethal midfielder.
#2 Mauro Icardi
Mauro Icardi produced some class performances in the entire season. His darting forays unsettled the opposition’s defense, while he showcased his class with his sensational finishing at an exhilarating pace.
His counter-attacks outclassed even the best defenses, while his intensity and resolute approach on the field boosted his teammates to give their best on the field. The Argentine has this knack for creating chances for other forwards with his creative moves and his ability to move deep inside the territory of the rival.
The Inter Milan skipper scored 29 goals in 34 matches in the 2017-18 Serie A season with one assist to his name. He also linked up well with the midfield and was a key figure in the Inter Milan forward line.
Icardi was instrumental for his side when they beat Verona 3-0 in March as the skipper netted two goals in that game. However, his best performance came against city rivals AC Milan, where he scored a hat-trick in Inter's 3-2 victory over their eternal rivals.
The 25-year-old looks tactically intelligent with his attacking moves inside the box and was the outstanding performer in an otherwise struggling Nerazzurri side, that just missed out on Champions League football.
#1 Ciro Immobile
Ciro Immobile’s performances have largely gone unnoticed, but the striker has been the leading light in Lazio’s 2017-18 Serie A campaign. The Italian showed his ability to outclass the opposition with his attacking runs by exploiting gaps in the opposition’s defense.
The 28-year-old has been an integral figure in Lazio’s forward line. His smart and offensive moves have looked more threatening than ever and the striker has teamed up well with his partner Luis Alberto.
He has also worked well with his midfielders, most notably Serbian shooting star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, making Lazio's attack the best in the Serie A, scoring 89 goals in 38 matches. The former Sevilla player netted 29 goals of those goals himself in 33 games in the 2017-18 Serie A season with 10 assists to his name.
Immobile showed his class with some superlative performances in the entire season. Most notably, the forward played a crucial role when Lazio beat Champions League spot rivals AC Milan 4-1, scoring three goals himself, while assisting Luis Alberto's goal in the process.
Ciro Immobile’s performance was key to Lazio securing a Champions League spot this season and it will be interesting to see how Italy's most lethal goalscorer performs when he returns to Europe's elite club competition.
