Outside90’s Joshua Scarcella casts an eye over the five best individual performances coming from Matchday 1 of the Serie A.
Luis Muriel (Sampdoria vs Carpi)
A settled environment in which to play football is what Luis Muriel will be seeking and he may just have found this at Sampdoria. His performances with the Blucerchiati last season were promising without being too special, however, if his build-up play and shots on goal are to continue at the same rate as shown in the openingmatch, he may help lead Walter Zenger’s men to a high position on the Serie A table.
His partnership with Eder will be a key ingredient to Sampdoria’s success in 2015-16.
Key Stats
81% Passing accuracy
3 Shots
2 Goals
Eder (Sampdoria vs Carpi)
2014-15 was somewhat of a breakout season for the Brazilian-born striker and it seems he has found a new partner in crime in Muriel. The ease in which he dribbled passed the Carpi backline for his second goal of a 5-2 win was incredible to watch. His assist also showcased poise and composure when finding Muriel between three defenders, a national team call up may be on the horizon.
Key Stats
91% Passing accuracy
3 Shots
2 Goals
1 Assist
Danilo Avelar (Frosinone vs Torino)
The Granata’s summer acquisition impressed Giampiero Ventura over the preseason and seems to have filled the void left by Matteo Darmian quite well. Avelar’s defensive qualities make him a difficult opponent to get around, but with the added bonus of a very quick turn of pace and great offensive skills. These were displayed when whipping in a cross to Fabio Quagliarella, who headed home for Torino’s first goal. His ability to distribute the ball and start attacking moves was a key strength from his time at Cagliari, a skill Darmian also was able to perform well. The 26-year-old could prove to be a key investment.
Key Stats
72% Passing accuracy
2 Shots
2 Assists
4 Defensive headers
Joã0 Miranda (Inter Milan vs Atalanta)
Roberto Mancini will be pleased with the experienced centre-back’s performance in his first official match for Inter. He provided the assist for Stevan Jovetic to score in added time to clinch the game, albeit from a throw in. More importantly, however, during the middle of the first-half when Atalanta found some rhythm to their game, he was accounted for and at times needed to help his partner Jeison Murillo as well. The Nerrazzuri can only hope his form continues from the time spent at Atletico Madrid, which included being voted as the best defender in La Liga during the 2013-14 season.
It has been a long time since Inter have had the luxury of a strong centre-back pairing, Miranda along with Andrea Ranocchia may finally be their answer.
Key Stats
95% Passing Accuracy
1 Assist
5 Defensive Headers
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Franco Vázquez (Palermo vs Genoa)
Franco Vazquez will be looking to go one step farther during 2015-16, coming-off an impressive season in partnership with Paulo Dybala and scoring 10 goals along the way. This time around he will need to fill the void the departing Dybala has left at Palermo, and this showing in the opening game indicates he is more than capable of doing so. An ability to setup dangerous play was causing the Genoa defense all sorts of problems, coupled with a shot from distance that stung the goalkeeper’s gloves.
He will be the key player if Palermo are to win games this season and challenge for a Europa League position.
Key Stats
80% Passing Accuracy
4 Shots on Goal
1 Assist
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