Juventus are once again running away with the lead at the top of Serie A, results this past weekend seeing the Old Lady open up an eight-point gap over her rivals after just 13 matches. But while the Bianconeri are flying high, it remains to be seen who will finish as the top goal scorer in Italy’s top flight, a number of surprising contenders making a name for themselves in the race to be crowned Capocannoniere.
What follows is a look at those strikers who have already found their range and are in a good position to claim the honour, as well as some who trail at the moment but who could well be in the running by the end of the campaign.
The Surprise Leader
When looking at the high quality marksmen in Serie A, it is something of a shock not to see a familiar name at the top of the current chart. Yet that is exactly what has happened after Genoa’s Krzysztof Piatek made a blistering start to 2018/19, netting 13 times in his first nine outings for the club.
Four of those strikes came in a single Coppa Italia clash with Lecce and the 23-year-old also bagged a goal for Poland against Portugal in their UEFA Nations League clash. His hot streak came to an end when Genoa took on Juventus in late October, but after a barren five-game spell he struck a penalty in the derby with crosstown rivals Sampdoria this past weekend.
Piatek remains an outsider to finish the season as top scorer, but odds of 11/1 on him doing just that are hugely tempting.
The Undisputed Favourite
If Genoa’s newest star is a surprising early leader, there is zero shock value in seeing Cristiano Ronaldo close behind. The Portuguese international has nine league goals – one fewer than Piatek – and has made up for a slow start to life with Juventus, only netting for the first time in his fourth competitive game for the club.
He has certainly found his best form, weighing in with eight goals and four assists in his last 11 outings in all competitions and has scored in each of his last three appearances, a spell that includes games against Manchester United and AC Milan.
As a result, the odds on him being named Capocannoniere in May are understandably short, with Ronaldo available at a best-priced 1.4/1.
Argentinian Contenders?
In looking elsewhere for options with a genuine chance of out scoring CR7, it is hard to ignore Mauro Icardi and Gonzalo Higuain. The former has already won the Serie A honour twice and his current tally of seven goals sees him trail the early leader by just three, a gap he could comfortably overcome over the next few weeks.
Compatriot Higuain is – thanks to a two-game suspension – a little further back on five goals, but as the only proven striker at AC Milan is likely to receive a high number of chances to close that gap.
Inter Captain Icardi is available at 11/1 to win the race once again, while Higuain’s current odds of 25/1 are certainly worth consideration.
Napoli Pair Have A Chance?
Both Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens have played well under new Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti, often paired together in attack as the former Chelsea Coach opts for a 4-4-2 formation. Each has scored seven league goals thus far and both are available at 16/1 to finish as Capocannoniere, but perhaps they are likely to continue sharing the scoring rather than one making a concerted effort to top the charts?
A Team-Mate Back To His Best
In searching for a genuine outsider who can outscore Ronaldo, perhaps looking to his own team-mates provides an answer. While there is no doubt that the Portuguese megastar is writing the headlines in Turin, Mario Mandzukic is quietly and efficiently playing a key role in the club’s unbeaten start to the season.
Moving back into a central role after two years on the left flank, Mandzukic has been an effective foil for Ronaldo and has benefitted from his creativity, currently sitting on a tally of six goals in just 10 appearances. He is available at odds of 40/1 to finish the campaign as 2018/19’s top scorer, a price that surely makes the Croatian a solid each-way choice if nothing else?
