Who Will Win the Serie A Scoring Title in 2012?

As Serie A gets back to action following the holiday break, nearly half the matches in the 2011-12 season have been played.

16 matches have been played by each of the 20 teams and the race for the famed Capocannoniere, the honor of being the leading goalscorer in Serie A, is very much up for grabs.

While there will be no one chasing Gunnar Nordahl's record of 35 goals in a season, several incredible strikers have their name in the hat for the honor.

To be the Capocannoniere is a great honor. Very few leagues can rival Serie A in terms of defense. It is the most defense-oriented league of the major European leagues, making goals very hard to come by.

Who will be the leading goalscorer in the end? Here's how the top five in the race may look at season's end.

5. Antonio Di Natale, Udinese

Currently: 3rd, 10 goals in 15 games

Di Natale will likely fall just short of joining elite company. The Udinese captain was hoping to join Juventus legend Michel Platini and Milan great Gunnar Nordahl as the only players to win the scoring title three seasons in a row.

The two-time reigning Capocannoniere has to bear the burden of trying to carry Udinese on his back to the Champions League for a second year in a row.

This may prove too difficult a challenge for the 34-year-old unless he gets help from Kwadwo Asamoah, Medhi Benatia, and Mauricio Isla. If they can step up, it will take the weight off Di Natale.

It is going to be difficult for Di Natale to keep pace.

4. Pablo Osvaldo, Roma

Currently: T-6th (with Sebastian Giovinco of Parma and Stevan Jovetic of Fiorentina), 7 goals in 15 games.

When Roma are hot, it has been Osvaldo with the hot foot more often than not this season.

While the Giallorossi have lacked consistency this season, they look like a team ready to break through and fight their way back into Europe after missing out this season.

Therefore, if Roma are to get into Europe, they're going to need to rely on Osvaldo to continue scoring for them in larger quantities.

The Argentine-born Italian international will be using Euro 2012 as motivation to step his game up to the next level. He has made two appearances since October for the Italian national team and will be hoping that his performance the rest of the way can influence Cesare Prandelli to bring him to Poland in June.

3. Germán Denis, Atalanta

Currently: 1st, 12 goals in 16 games

What a year it's been for Atalanta. If not for their six point deduction at the start of the season for match fixing, they would be fifth in Serie A right now and in a spot in next season's UEFA Europa League.

Who can they thank for this great start to their return to Serie A? Germán Denis.

It's safe to say that when the time comes to decide, La Dea are going to buy him outright from Udinese, who are probably wondering what could have been this season if they had him lining up next to Di Natale.

Expect Denis to keep scoring fantastic goals, but he faces a lot of stiff competition and it will be difficult for him to hold his lead.

2. Edinson Cavani, Napoli

Currently: 4th, 9 goals in 14 games

Assuming that he doesn't leave, given all the rumors linking the Uruguayan with a move to the English Premier League, the 24-year-old will continue to light up the back of the net for Napoli.

El Matador has been fantastic this season, scoring a total of 13 goals in 19 matches combined between Serie A and the Champions League.

Napoli will be expecting a large chunk of change from his suitors if they plan on swooping him from a team fighting for a spot in Europe next season.

Cavani will be using either the motivation of playing in Europe or the chance for a big money move as continued motivation to be the best goalscorer in Italy. The competition is stiff, but Cavani can never be ruled out when it comes to scoring goals.

1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Milan

Currently: 2nd, 11 goals in 13 games

It's simple: when Ibra plays, Ibra scores.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has rediscovered his love of scoring goals in his now year and a half at AC Milan. He struck 14 times in his first season and since Milan paid Barcelona to buy him outright, he has gone off.

The Swede has struck 11 times this season in all sorts of ways. He is a lock from the 12-yard spot on penalties and his laser of a foot makes him a threat from anywhere on the pitch.

Milan sit in pole position for the title and it is thanks in part to their giant target man.

As long as Milan continue to put the ball on the foot of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the magic will continue to come out of his feet.