Serie A: 5 players who can make a difference this summer

The coronavirus-induced pause that forced Serie A to grind to a halt will soon be lifted. Here are five players to watch as the league plans to return.

With Serie A looking to return next month, teams are starting to plan training sessions ahead of a possible June 15 restart date. This would normally be the time of the season when champions are crowned and the season as a whole, the good and bad, is assessed.

But this spring has been anything but normal since COVID-19 spread across the world and forced sports leagues to pause their seasons. With leagues coming back (or planning to do so) over the next few weeks, the summer will be busier than normal for club soccer.

Serie A has been suspended since March 9. A potential return, pushed to mid-June by the government, hinges on whether the contagion subsides in Italy, a country hard-hit by the pandemic.

“We all hope that the championship can restart as soon as possible but at the moment there are no certainties, as Prime Minister [Giuseppe] Conte has said,” Italy’s Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora told the Italpress news agency. “If the contagion curve goes down, we can confirm the expected date for the restart but we have to get there gradually, moving with caution and responsibility”.

As Serie A gears up for a return, here’s a look at five players who could have the biggest impact down the stretch. While some of these names are no surprise, each player on the list faces their own distinct challenges after being away from the field for more than two months.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)

The Portuguese superstar is the best player on the planet (along with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi) and that is a very valuable thing for Juventus. The team, still looking to sweep all available trophies before them this season, will need Ronaldo’s leadership on and off the field once the pause is lifted.

Ronaldo’s skill and fitness level, even after being inactive for so long, shouldn’t be too much of a burden for him. There’s little doubt that pandemic-era Ronaldo will be any different than the player we have seen over the last decade. His diet and workout plan stayed consistent the past few weeks while he remained quarantined in Portugal. What he can do with the ball, both individually and to make his teammates better, makes him the best player in the league.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner returned to Juventus camp last week. He was in top form before the virus lockdown, tallying 21 goals in 22 league games.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan)

Like Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic is also a physical specimen. That should also help him easily re-adjust to the rigors of Serie A once games resume. Ibrahimovic, who had joined the Rossoneri in January, may be 38 years old, but he still plays like he’s 28.

AC Milan will need Ibra’s leadership and skills if they hope to finish in the top six and grab a Europa League spot. Currently seventh (and three points behind sixth-place Napoli), the Swedish striker will be auditioning for a longer stay. He could return to AC Milan next season, although the club is still weighing what to do with his contract once this season comes to an end.

Ciro Immobile (Lazio)

The 30-year-old Lazio star is the league’s top scorer with 27 goals (six ahead of second-place Ronaldo) and was having the season of his career before the pause.

Immobile, who was recently made team captain, will be the catalyst for Lazio’s success over the coming weeks. Immobile argued recently that team training is “essential” in order to achieve future success. Lazio are currently in second place, a point behind Juve, and are aiming to capture their first scudetto since 2000.

Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan)

The former Manchester United striker was also having a big season before the break. In his first season at Inter Milan, Lukaku had scored 17 goals in 25 leagues matches, a wonderful rate for a player in his first season in the league. He’s a main reason why Inter are in third place.

The 27-year-old Lukaku had also been racially abused by fans for much of the season, something that will no longer happen since social distancing measures ban fans from stadiums even once games return. Lukaku’s speciality is scoring goals. Expect him to keep doing so once Serie A is back.

Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria)

While the four other players on this list are looking to get their teams a title or a spot in Europe, Quagliarella will be looking to help his team avoid relegation.

With nine goals so far this season, the 37-year-old forward is having another great season. As 16th-place Sampdoria aim to outpace city rivals Genoa, just a point behind them, watch for Quagliarella to use all his skill and experience to help Samp salvage the season.

The bottom three teams at the moment (Brescia, Spal and Lecce) all have a shot at avoiding relegation with 12 matchdays left to be played, meaning Sampdoria needs to remain competitive to avoid the drop.