Rolando Bianchi (Regina), 24 years old. 35 games, 18 goals
Bianchi is a native of the Atalanta junior system, recognized as one of the foremost in Europe. It was here that Roberto Donadoni, as well as Tacchinardi, Morfeo, Pelitstsoli, Dalla Bon, the Zenoni brothers, Montolivo, Pazzini and many others, learned football mind-wisdom.
Bianchi made his debut in the main team back in 2000, in the phenomenal season for Atalanta. Bergamaski, led by a young coach Giovanni Vavassori, suddenly fluttered to 7th place, but a couple of years later returned to the series of V. Bianchi, regularly called up to Italian national teams of younger ages, was annoyed by the lack of playing time in his native club. However, having achieved the transition to Cagliari, Rolando could not confirm the validity of his ambitions - only 2 goals in 14 meetings.
Having feverishly swept between Bergamo and Cagliari, one of the most promising Italian forwards of his generation decided to settle in Reggio Calabria. Playing on the shores of the Strait of Messina, Bianchi met the expectations of experts and the efforts of youth coaches. But before there was the 2005/06 season, in which Bianchi managed to distinguish himself only once in 9 matches. A severe knee injury in the match for the youth team crumpled Rolando all season. However, the 23-year-old striker managed to recover for the U-21 European Championship in Portugal and even scored there.
Atalanta’s pupil started the current season with a hat-trick in the first round and could not stop. Scoring balls for absolutely every taste, Rolando brought their number to 18, which is the second indicator in Serie A. Regina's coach Walter Mazzarri, who was considered one of the most promising new wave specialists in Italy, certainly contributed to the striker’s success. Mazzarry decided to combine the young Bianca in an attack with 32-year-old Nicola Amoruzo and achieved a fantastic return on this couple - 32 goals for two! The partners seemed to have catalyzed each other: Nicola was charged with Bianchi’s youthful energy, and he studied with his senior colleague of judgment and dexterity.
With its impressive dimensions (188 cm, 78 kg), the Calabrian “nine” is not limited to the role of the “pillar”. Heading is Rolando's undoubted plus, but it can also turn around in a limited space in the penalty area, and kill punch from afar, and deftly play on finishing. Bianchi is plastic, quirky and eager for non-standard solutions. In general, a miracle striker. Ready goalie for any super club.
Jonatha Spinesi ("Catania"), 29 years old. 31 games, 17 goals
The tall Pisan confirmed his bombardier reputation in the elite only on the threshold of thirty years. Having received an invitation to Inter in Milan in 95, Jonatha, without hesitation, left his native Pisa, but never played a single match at Giuseppe Meazza.
In 98, the port town of Bari became a real home for Spinesi, where Jonatha spent 6 years, which included both the departure of the local team from Serie A and the first sniper achievements. For three seasons in the second Italian division, he scored 43 goals for Bari. In the summer of 2004, Spinesi went to Arezzo, where he raised his personal goal scorer to a new mark of 22 goals. In the Tuscan team, Spinesi met with the young coach Pasquale Marino, who, having led the Catania in 2005, also took Jonatha with him.
In Sicily, Spinesi’s dream of returning to the elite came true. Sponsored by aircraft mogul Antonio Pulvirenti, the Rossazurri effortlessly finished second in Series B, which was greatly facilitated by its 23 goals of Spinesi.
For the first time in 22 years, finding themselves in Serie A, the Sicilians made a splash in Italian football. While “Milan”, “Fio” and “Lazio” won back the penalty points, “Catania” was surprisingly perched on the fourth position and kept it until the 21st round.
Feeril and Spinesi - by Christmas, he managed to score 11 times, second only to Francesco Totti. The finest hour for Jonatha was a match with Sampdoria (4: 2). His dashing hat-trick then nearly dismissed the Genoese coach Walter Novellino.
The nightmarish February derby of Catania and Palermo crippled both Sicilian teams - since then they have moved exclusively down in the standings. Depressed and Spinesi. In the period from December 23 to April 15, he distinguished himself only once - in a failed match with Inter (2: 5).
But by the summer, Jonatha was able to regain inspiration. He has scored 5 matches in a row and with 17 goals ahead of the scorers and Tony, Ibra, and Crespo. This season is undoubtedly the best in the career of the 29-year-old striker of Catania.
Igor Budan (Parma), 27 years old. 33 games, 12 goals
In the second half of the 90s, the import of Croatian footballers into Italy was of a conveyor character. Rukavina, Vugrinets, Tudor, Erceg, Bjelanovich, Tsvitanovich, Rapaich, moving to the Apennines, did not always even have experience playing for the national team. The current top sniper Parma is also one of them.
Igor Budan, having passed through all the Croatian national teams of younger ages, at the age of 19 he signed a contract with Venice. Significant striking feats in the homeland of Budan did not commit. Scoring two goals a season for Rijeka, he repeated this result in the Italian debut season. He didn’t have a tandem with his compatriot Tomislav Rukavina, who also transferred to Venice in 1999.
Subsequent rental wanderings brought Igor first to Series B, and then to the Swiss Championship. However, in 2002, the then owner of Venice, Maurizio Dzamparini, decided to go to Sicily, taking a whole group of players with him to Palermo. Quite unexpectedly, Budan was among them. However, the Croatian striker did not have the chance to play for Rosanero.
Having been in Ancona, Atalanta and Ascoli for 4 years, he only once demonstrated his sniper potential. It happened in the 2003/2004 season as part of series B, when Budan excelled 11 times in the Atalanta team. Until the current season, that result was a record in his career.
Last summer, Maurizio Dzamparini, having bought Bresciano and Charamitaro from Parma, commanded Gasbarroni, Parravicini and Budana in the opposite direction, which comforted the Jalloblo well.
Igor distinguished himself in the first match for a new club, upsetting Torino. But really “rolled” at the Croat on October 22. Having scored the Ascoli victory ball that day, Budan laid the foundation for the five-match series, in which he did not leave the field without a goal. And in February, at the eighth season of performances in Italy, Budan finally made his debut in the national team.
Giuseppe Rossi’s January return to Parma encouraged the audience to fly out of the club. The attacking trio of Rossi - Muslimovich - Budan, with a bright and productive game in the second round, literally charmed Italy, giving the “dzhallloba” a chance for salvation. However, the Croatian giant will almost certainly leave Parma, regardless of the outcome of the struggle for survival. Maurizio Zamparini, tormented by Andrea Caracciolo, seems ready to give Budan a chance to gain a foothold in Sicily.
Fabio Cuagliarella (Sampdoria), 23 years old. 33 games, 12 goals
Having scored 3 goals for 33 goals in Ascoli last season, this forward has a chance to start next season with Manchester United ... No, Alex Ferguson has not lost his mind at all. The progress of the 23-year-old striker of Sampdoria this season is so impressive that European top clubs are not indifferent.
A native of Castellammare di Stabia, near the resort of Sorrento, he was formed as a football player in the Torino Junior Academy. In the Turin club Fabio had the opportunity to appear on the field only 5 times. And in 2002, Quagliarella was among the "lucky ones" sent to Florence to restore the ruined local club from the ruins. Link to the fourth division is not too inspired Fabio - only 1 goal in 12 games.
After moving to Chieti, who played in the C1 series, the 182-cm striker finally showed the talent of the goalscorer. 17 goals in the 2003/2004 season were enough to get a second chance at Torino.
“Bulls” with Quagliarella in the squad secured a promotion to the elite, but due to financial turmoil they were forced to remain in Serie B. But Fabio, who scored 8 goals for the season, mentally moved to Serie A and, not wanting to go back, demanded from his home club let him go. Co-owners of Cugli became Udinese and Ascoli, and the forward spent the last season in the composition of Picnic.
Now I have already forgotten what role Fabio Sampdoria initially assigned to, redeeming 50% of the rights to it from Ascoli. It is logical to assume that the striker, who distinguished himself only three times per season, was considered as a reservist of Flaki, Bonazzoli and Bazzani. It turned out that the reputable trio scored three goals in a season less than one Quagliarella!
The 23-year-old sniper did not immediately become the central figure in the attacking designs of Walter Novellino. Noting two substitutions, Kuala made his debut in the starting lineup only in the 7th round and immediately marked himself with a double! This did not save the Genoese from defeat in Bergamo, but subsequent Fabio doublets invariably led to defeats - first Chievo (3: 0) and then Livorno (4: 1).
The aesthetic-mocking way of scoring adds charm to the newcomer. Here are fantastic shots from any distance, and scissors from a turn and through themselves, and elegant casts for the goalkeepers. The sensible foppiness of Fabio could not fail to impress. Roberto Donadoni also could not resist - Quaglia made his debut in the “Squadra azzurre” in the March match with the Scots.
Luca Saudati (Empoli), 29 years old. 32 games, 12 goals
The native of Milan, Luca Saudati, had long wanted to gain a foothold in his native club. Having appeared in the ranks of the Rossoneri in the 1996/97 season under the direction of Fabio Capello, Luca was forced to go to the Monza - Como - Empoli route familiar to many Milan students ...
Having scored 7 goals for Perugia in 25 meetings, Saudati earned a return to his native land. However, in the Alberto Dzaccheroni deck, which included Shevchenko, Birhoff, Commandini and Weah, Saudati hardly had a chance to become a trump card. After moving to Bergamo the following summer, Luca went on a long hustle between Atalanta and Empoli, until he finally decided to finally settle in Tuscany.
The success of Saudati this season (12 goals) is due to the tactics chosen by the coach of the Empolians Gigi Kanyi. Together with Luke, the talented junior Nikola Pozzi regularly acts, by the way, belonging to Milan. The excellent productivity of this duo (17 goals for two) is facilitated by attacking inventors Davide Matteini and Ilya Vannukki. In the end, from the bottom of this whole honest company is actively supporting the “new Veron” Sergio Almiron.