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Hello and Welcome back to our assessment of the race to the Serie A Golden Boot at the start of the new year. There have been quite a few changes in the ranking since our last assessment, in fact, three of the men from the last list have been replaced by new players this time. As such, the race to "Capocannoniere" has well and truly warmed up now.
Also Read: Top Contenders for the Serie A Golden Boot - December 2018
All eyes have been on Cristiano Ronaldo, who has taken the Serie A by storm since making the switch in the summer and the Portuguese continue to be an integral part of the race. But what has come as a surprise is that Mauro Icardi and Immobile, the Golden Boot winners from last season, have dropped down the rankings due to a substandard return in front of goal in the month of December. Both players could score one goal in the entire month. The Italian, by the way, misses out from the top five only by virtue of inferior minutes per goal ratio.
However, it is at the top of the table where the competition is fierce, as both men are trying their best to outdo each other. Only time will tell which of them will win that battle, but as of now, let us take a look at the top five contenders for the Serie A Golden Boot, at the start of January 2019.
#5 Duvan Zapata (Columbia, Atalanta BC)
Goals Scored - 10
The Columbian is a new name in the list but is coming into the new year in exceptional form. Zapata has been the standout performer in December and has been terrific for Atalanta in Serie A.
At the end of November, he had just one goal from 13 appearances in the season, but all that was about to change in the last month of the year. Zapata started December with Atalanta's only goal in the 1-2 loss against Napoli at home.
He scored a hattrick in the very next game as Atalanta blew away Udinese 3-1. The Columbian followed that up with the only goal of the game in a narrow 1-0 win against Lazio next. Zapata went on to score four more goals in the next three games, including a brace against Juventus and ended December with 9 goals from 6 games!
Zapata has registered 37 shots so far in Serie A, 18 of which have been on target. He is averaging a goal every 132 minutes played, slightly better than Immobile's average of a goal every 158 minutes played. As such, the Columbian edges the Italian to take the 5th spot in the race to the Serie A Golden Boot, at the start of the new year. If he continues his goalscoring antics, he could cause the men at the top a few worries.
#4 Arkadiusz Milik (Poland, Napoli)
Goals Scored - 10
The Polish striker started December with an 8-minute cameo against Atalanta, where he scored the winner after coming off the bench, in a thrilling 2-1 away win for Napoli. It kick-started a strong month for Milik, who was on song and consistently on target in the Serie A.
His heroics against Atalanta earned him a spot in the starting line up in the following game against Frosinone and the Polish International responded by scoring a brace in a 4-0 win. He followed that up with the only goal of the game in a narrow 1-0 win over Cagliari Calcio next.
He was on the bench for the win over SPAL and then failed to find the back of the net in the disappointing 1-0 loss to Inter Milan in the following game. However, he ended the year on a high, scoring a brace as Napoli fought off Bologna 3-2. Milik ended December with six goals from five games and his brilliance earned him the 4th spot in the race to the Serie A Golden Boot at the start of January 2019.
#3 Fabio Quagliarella (Italy, UC Sampdoria)
Goals Scored - 12
The Veteran Striker has been on a roll since the end of October, a spell where he has scored in every appearance in the Serie A for nine games running now. Quagliarella continued his stunning form into December and had a magnificent month, which saw him rise up the ranks in the race.
He started with a brace in the 4-1 win over Bologna at home, at the start of December. Quagliarella went on to score a goal in each of the next five games, ending the year on a positive note. He finished with seven goals in goals games in December and now has 12 goals from 18 appearances in the Serie A.
The Italian has registered 50 shots so far in the league and 26 of those have been on target. He is averaging a goal every 129 minutes played this season. At the start of the new year, Fabio Quagliarella is at the 3rd position in the race to the Serie A Golden Boot.
#2 Krzysztof Piatek (Poland, Genoa CFC)
Goals Scored - 13
The Polish Striker continues to shine in the Serie A and has been matching shoulder to shoulder with the man leading the race right now. Piatek has made the Golden Boot race very interesting and his form has put the old guard of the Serie A well behind. He is also attracting a lot of attention from a lot of clubs around Europe, who are keeping a close watch on his phenomenal form this season.
A dismal run in October and November had dented his rise in the league, but Piatek picked up the pace in December. He failed to score in the first game of the month away to Torino but then scored three goals in the next three games. Even though he failed to score in the last two games in the month, it was enough to secure his position at a second place in the rankings.
Piatek has registered 62 shots so far, 31 of which have been on target. He is currently averaging a goal every 123 minutes and has now scored 13 goals from 19 games in the league. He is perhaps the only person who is making the man leading this list a little nervous, as, at the start of January 2019, Piatek is second in the race to the Serie A Golden Boot.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Juventus)
Goals Scored - 14
It is not hard to believe that a man who has registered 91 shots in Serie A so far, with 51 of those on target, is the favorite to become the top scorer of the league this season. Ronaldo has been phenomenal since joining Juventus and after an inauspicious first 3 games, has been firing on all cylinders so far.
The Portuguese scored five goals from six games in December, failing only to score against AS Roman and Inter Milan. He now has 14 goals from 19 games in Serie A and 15 goals from 24 games in all competitions. His consistent goalscoring run in the Serie A has propelled him to the top of the race and he now maintains a slender lead at the top of the pile.
At the start of January 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo is the top contender for the Serie A Golden Boot. It will be a huge surprise if he fails to end the season as the top scorer of the Serie A.
Join us again next month as we update the rankings at the start of February
