Week 24 proved to be another enthralling week of Serie A action with spills, thrills and bellyaches in all ten fixtures. The top three sides were victorious this weekend, but who were heroes this weekend? What was the performance of the week, and what was the goal of the week? (spoiler, it wasn't Balotelli's goal)
Hero of the week: Mattia Destro
Sunday night's meeting with Sampdoria had the potential to go horribly wrong for AS Roma. With Totti on the treatment table; Sampdoria undeated in their last three games; and Juventus winning comfortably earlier in the day, nerves had the potential to prevail in the Stadio Olimpico. This seemed to be the case during the first 40 minutes, with Gervinho, Miralem Pjanic and Kevin Strootman all missing guilt edge chances. However with half time moments away, Francesco Totti's replacement for the evening, Mattia Destro, stole in from a corner kick to head his team into a crucial half time lead. This goal proved pivotal, as the Giallorossi were able to relatively comfortably see out the rest the game, adding to their lead through a Pjanic costless kick and another goal from Destro.
Performance of the week: Genoa
At 2-0 all seemed lost and at 3-1 all was certainly lost; but Genoa, through the inspirational Alberto Gilardino, clawed their back to earn a much deserved, and quite miraculous, point at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. What made this comeback ever more astounding, was the Rossoblu's incessant attempts to shoot themselves in the foot. From a comically high and diagonal defensive line, to conceding a penalty; Genoa did everything in their powers during the first 60 minutes to lose. However, with 30 minutes to go and seemingly nothing more to lose, Gian Piero Gasperini's men showed character and resiliance not shown by a Genoa side in numerous years. After a wonderful slide through ball from Ivan Fetfatzidis, 31 year old forward, Gilardino simultaneously rifled the ball into the top corner and his side back into the game. Then, with just eleven minutes remaining, Gilardino tapped the ball into the Udinese goal from a corner kick and the comeback was sealed. It was a truly remarkable turnaround from a side who looked dead and buried with 30 minutes remaining.
Goal of the week: Emerson vs. Cagliari
Quote of the week: Sandro Melli on Walter Mazzarri
"Every time I see Walter Mazzarri's press conferences I have this doubt: is he really an idiot or does he think we all are?"
