Serie A's unlikely stars of the season: Josip Ilicic joins Man United loanee and new Juve signing

Football has been put on pause amid the Coronavirus pandemic but while we wait eagerly for its return, we can take stock of the season so far.

This is an opportunity to focus on some of the less-celebrated players who have surprised this term.

Here, we list Serie A’s five unlikely stars of this season.

JOSIP ILICIC

Josip Ilicic has always been recognised as a supremely gifted footballer, limited only by his own attitude and poor work ethic. He began to find consistency in Atalanta but the moody Slovenian has only truly done justice to his natural ability this season, scoring 15 times and bagging five assists in just 21 league appearances.

In his element, Ilicic is among the most creative, classy players around. He seems to have more time on the ball and sees things on the pitch others don’t. He doesn’t have the searing pace that modern forwards value most in their arsenal but his languid style and fluid dribbling leaves defenders for dead all the same.

With one of the best left foots in football, the 32-year-old is capable of some fantastic strikes but then there’s the ice cool composure best portrayed by his goal against Lecce that truly endears him to those who love this game and appreciate its finest artists.

CHRIS SMALLING

Harry Maguire’s arrival at Old Trafford meant Chris Smalling fell down the pecking order. Not good enough to be a regular starter for the Manchester United but too good to ride the bench, he joined Roma on loan.

Smalling hasn’t just adapted to the Italian top flight seamlessly, he’s thriving in it and playing the best football of his career. With 3.7 aerials won, 2 interceptions and 4.5 clearances per game, he’s among the best defensive performers in the league.

Under Paulo Fonseca, he’s even proved accomplished in passing the ball out from the back, registering a 90.3 per cent pass accuracy so far this term. The fans have taken to him and there’s plenty of talk now of making his move permanent next season.

FRANCESCO ACERBI

Lazio have enjoyed a phenomenal season and have pushed Juventus all the way for the Scudetto. But while top scorer Ciro Immobile and star playmaker Luis Alberto have been showered with praise, at the heart of their rearguard lies a true warrior in Francesco Acerbi.

His story in an inspiring one as he battled cancer and resurrected his career. Now 32, he’s the leader of Italian football’s best defence and is one of the most underrated centre-backs in Europe.

Despite playing 5.8 long passes per game, Acerbi still retains an impressive 90.2 per cent pass accuracy. He’s even contributed with two goals and two assists in the league, including an equaliser to earn a point at Roma and a stunning strike against Torino.

Given the standard of his displays this season, it’s no wonder the likes of Chelsea and Inter have been linked with a move for the centre-back.

JOAO PEDRO

In 2018, Joao Pedro was handed a six-month suspension for doping. The Brazilian pleaded his innocence and Cagliari, who stood by their player, are now reaping the rewards. Pedro has had to work hard to come back and start this campaign with a clean slate.

With 16 goals in the league this season he is only behind Immobile, Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku, Pedro is now in the form of his life and has proved to be indispensable for Cagliari with whom he extended his contract on the back of his recent performances.

He’s gone from being relatively unknown to most Italian football fans to one of the most lethal forwards in the league. One goal during a 4-3 defeat to Roma stands out. He cushioned a ball forward on his thigh before lobbing the keeper with a delicate effort on the half-volley.

DEJAN KULUSEVSKI

When you think of a well-rounded modern footballer, Dejan Kulusevski certainly looks the part.

The 19-year-old has the physique, strength and speed to flourish in the modern game. After catching the eye on loan at Parma from Atalanta during the first half of the season, Juventus swooped in January.

A deal that could amount to €44 million sealed his move to Turin but he returned to Parma for the remainder of the campaign and has registered five goals and seven assists so far.

He has operated from the right and likes to cut and shoot with his superb left foot but it’s widely regarded that his future lies in operating as a box-to-box or attacking midfielder.

His boundless energy is one of his most appealing assets while his acceleration and change of pace means he’s able to carry the ball forward effectively. The Swede has only made one appearance for the national team so far but seems destined to be a star. Watch this space.