5 Things About Serie A That We Learned from Week 19 in Italy

Jack Alexandros RathbornJun 7, 2018

It was a thoroughly entertaining weekend of action this weekend in Serie A that was filled with goals.

There were 31 goals in total after Week 19, with Palermo and Roma chipping in with five apiece.

Lazio lost, which meant Roma's big win over Cesena closed the gap between the Rome rivals to three points.

Francesco Totti score twice in that win, which meant that he became the top scorer of all-time in Serie A, for a single club, with 211 goals.

Il Capitano surpassed Gunnar Nordahl's record of 210 goals with AC Milan.

This week, I assess the importance of Totti and his record as well as four other things we learnt from the weekend.

Roma: Francesco Totti Adds to His Legacy with Goal Record

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Francesco Totti scored his 211th goal for Roma in Serie A against Cesena this weekend.

He surpassed the one-club record set by Gunnar Nordahl, who scored 210 goals while with AC Milan.

Another astounding record for Il Capitano as we begin to consider if he is a contender for the greatest player in Serie A history.

His case is helped by the fact he is a one-club player and that he does not play for one of Italy's traditional big three sides, Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan.

He led the Giallorossi to their only ever Scudetto in 2001, and from then on, became known as the king of Rome.

Totti has now played 625 games for Roma in all competitions, which is already nearly 200 more than the second-placed Giacomo Losi.

His total goals in all competitions now stands at 262 goals, again an all-time Roma record and over 100 more than Roberto Pruzzo.

The amazing thing is that Luis Enrique is deploying his talisman in a more withdrawn role this season, which should help save his legs and enable him to continue for another two or three seasons.

The 35-year-old should easily surpass second placed Nordahl and his 225 goals in Serie A (including 15 goals at Roma) and set his sights on first placed Silvio Piola and his 275 goals.

It is a huge ask, but if anybody can do it, then Il Gladiatore is the man.

Juventus: De Ceglie, Giaccherini and the Squad Ready to Help Scudetto Push

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Juventus are leading the way in Serie A, one point ahead of AC Milan.

The Bianconeri have a settled starting line-up under Antonio Conte, but they will need squad members to contribute if they are to outlast the Rossoneri in the race to win Serie A.

In the last two weeks, we have seen evidence of this.

In the defence, Paolo De Ceglie, who had endured a frustrating start to the season, has been drafted in by Conte in recent weeks.

De Ceglie has been excellent and is defending with much more confidence as well as attacking with plenty of purpose, like Stephan Lichsteiner on the opposite flank.

Emanuele Giaccherini is also contributing and is capable of filling in at centre midfield while Claudio Marchisio is injured or when Andrea Pirlo needs a rest.

The former Cesena star is also versatile enough to play on either wing in Conte's preferred 4-3-3 formation.

The 21-year-old Luca Marrone is also a talented ball-playing midfielder who impressed as a substitute at the weekend in Bergamo.

Lastly, we can expect Marco Borriello to contend for a starting role with Alessandro Matri.

Conte has managed the squad superbly and is now reaping the rewards.

He has ensured his players have maintained a good attitude and are now hungry to make an impact.

Napoli: Patenopei Slip Up Again as Third Place Appears out of Reach

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Napoli slipped up away to Siena last weekend.

Goran Pandev rescued a point for the Partenopei after former Napoli striker Emanuele Calaiò had put the Bianconeri ahead.

It is the second consecutive draw, as Napoli lost more ground in the race for the third Champions League spot.

Considering that AC Milan and Juventus are almost certain to fill the top two places, there are four teams between them and Champions League football for the 2012-13 season.

Napoli are a point behind Roma, three points behind Lazio, six points behind Inter and nine points behind the current occupants of third, Udinese.

Napoli's quest for Champions League football next season is almost certainly over if you consider their upcoming Champions League tie with Chelsea.

Napoli will undoubtedly rest players in the Serie A fixtures either side of both games, which will probably result in more points dropped.

Those games are Fiorentina (away), Inter (away), Parma (away), Cagliari (home) and Udinese (away).

Mazzarri's failure to gain ground on those who are currently above them will ultimately prove costly.

Nine points is not an insurmountable difference, but the odds are remote due to the need for four teams to slip up before the end of the season.

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Inter Milan: Nerazzurri's Scudetto Charge Continues

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Inter Milan continue to charge up the table after usurping Lazio in to fourth place.

The Nerazzurri earned their seventh consecutive win and are now only three points off that valuable third place.

They remain just six points off Juventus, and Claudio Ranieri seems to have rebuilt an Inter that was in ruins just a few months ago.

Goals from Diego Milito and Giampaolo Pazzini after Tommaso Rocchi has given Lazio the lead were enough to keep the momentum going.

It was almost like holding their service after getting a getting a crucial break of serve in the Derby della Madonnina against Milan the weekend before.

Inter's next two league games are relatively easy, with an away trip to relegation candidates Lecce and a home match against Palermo, who are dreadful away from home.

With Juventus and Udinese clashing in the next round, before Milan travelling to Rome to face Lazio in the round after, it is entirely possible the Nerazzurri gain more ground on their rivals.

Inter are currently 5/1 with most bookmakers, which appears to be a good value considering the momentum.

Ranieri's reputation continues to grow with a win percentage of 68 percent after 22 games.

It is a winning percentage greater even than Jose Mourinho, who won 62 percent of his games over two season with the Nerazzurri.

AC Milan: Ibrahimovic in the Form of His Life

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic is in the form of his life.

The Swede scored two more goals this weekend away to Novara to ensure the Rossoneri kept in touch with Juventus at the top of Serie A.

His first goal was a clinically taken volley before a wonderful back-heel effort sealed the three points.

Ibrahimovic has scored 14 goals in 16 games this season, the greatest strike ratio of his career.

What is most remarkable about this feat is that Ibrahimovic is operating in a deeper role this season under Massimiliano Allegri for the majority of games.

This is not a role than Ibrahimovic despises either; in fact, he seems to be relishing it with license to create Milan's opportunities and provide more assists than he has ever done previously.

Ibrahimovic has six assists to his name and is also scoring at the quickest rate in Serie A with a goal every 100 minutes.

This strike rate is the fourth best in Europe's major leagues* behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

Ibrahimovic should maintain this remarkable form for the rest of the season once Kevin Prince Boateng, Alberto Aquilani and Clarence Seedorf, who have been injured of late, return to side.

*Major European leagues includes the top five leagues in the UEFA club coefficient: England, France, Germany, Spain and Italy.