Top 5 Candidates for Serie A Player of the Season

Naming a player of the season is never an easy task. One of Serie A's big hitters might have a superstar whose performances take our collective breath away every week, but who might contribute less than a breakout youngster at his local team, or an ageing star raging against the dying of the light at one of the league's smaller outfits. 

Statistics can help, but they must be handled with a light touch because as the cliche goes, they can be used to prove anything. A quick look at the figures on WhoScored.com, for example, and you might think that Ricardo Montolivo is a better passer than Francesco Totti because he does it more often. Look closer, and you'll see the Roman plays almost three times as many key balls per game. 

So how do you define the most impressive player of the season? If we're being honest, we can't with complete certainty. Everyone's opinion is likely to differ, at least slightly. But like the famous United States Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once said about pornography, supreme talent might be hard to define, but you just know it when you see it. So who are the contenders this year? 

Atalanta's German Denis

OK, so German Denis is unlikely to be named Serie A's most influential player this year, but few have made a more vital contribution to their team's efforts than the veteran striker.

Despite starting the season with a two-point penalty, the Bergamo outfit are comfortably above the relegation scrap—thanks largely to Denis. His assist set up Luca Cigarini to score the only goal against the mighty AC Milan at the start of the season, and the striker's brace helped Atalanta complete a rare regional double when they beat Inter in November.

He was also key to the home win over Napoli, setting up Carlos Carmona and his hat-trick in April meant his side beat Inter yet again. Even disregarding the rest of his 15 goals and four assists this term, without Denis, Atalanta would be fighting for survival.

His strikes make up 41 percent of the team's total, and they've come at all the right times this season. Only a handful of players in Italy could claim to be more important to their squad. 

Inter's Rodrigo Palacio

Rodrigo Palacio has been one of the few positives in Inter's troubling 2012-13 season. The former Boca Juniors and Genoa forward was seen as a solid if unspectacular signing for the Nerazzurri last summer, but he's become one of the few performers Andrea Stramaccioni can rely on. 

The Argentinian has been a consistent threat up front, with 12 goals and four assists in 25 league appearances. He's also one of Inter's best distributors of the ball, completing over 81 percent of his passes (stats via WhoScored.com). 

Currently part of Inter's desperate injury list, his performances have been missed. Palacio is a game-changer and his stunning performance away to Catania proved it. He set up Ricardo Álvarez for the first and then scored twice was a case in point.

Without him, that game was lost. With him, Inter headed back to Milan having scraped a 2-3 win. Stramaccioni will be hoping he can rely on him again next season, with Inter hopefully higher up the table. 

AC Milan's Stephan El Shaarawy

It's been a while since Serie A's seen a breakout as impressive as the one made by Stephan El Shaarawy. The young Italian was on the fringes of the Rossoneri setup just 12 months ago, but along with Mario Balotelli he's now Max Allegri's most important asset. 

With 16 goals in 33 league games, four assists and some of Serie A's most impressive passing figures, the versatile attacker is the toast of Europe and tipped to do great things in the near future. He's comfortable out wide or in the centre, he's only 20, he's got blistering pace and sublime control. What more could you want?

AS Roma's Francesco Totti

This is one for the romantics, but also a choice that would be hard to argue against even under cold, scientific inspection. 

Francesco Totti is 36 years young and still one of Serie A's most enthralling players. 2012-13 has seen him break yet more records, and he's now the league's second-highest scorer of all time—the highest on the list to bag all his goals at one club. 

Roma have endured a difficult campaign, but the captain has been on blistering form, scoring 12 times and contributing as many assists in 31 games. His place in the history of the Giallorossi and Serie A is beyond rebuke, as are his performances this season. Like a fine wine, Totti just gets better with age. 

Juventus' Arturo Vidal

In the interests of fairness, I've resisted the urge to fill this list with Juventus players. But it should go without saying that Andrea Pirlo would be a worthy recipient of the Player of the Year award.

Arturo Vidal takes his place here because of the development we've seen in the Chilean since his move from Bayer Leverkusen in 2011, but particularly this season. 

The Old Lady's midfield is one of the most impressive in Europe, and Vidal is central to it. Pirlo is more eye-catching, more unique and more technically gifted, but Vidal is very nearly a complete package. He runs, he tackles, he passes, he shoots and he scores.

He has nine goals and seven assists from midfield and as anyone who's seen Juve play this term will attest to, he's at the heart of almost everything Antonio Conte's team do. An absolutely crucial player at the league's top team. How better to define Serie A's best performer?