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With 2021 concluding we have reached what could be called an intermission in the exciting Serie A title race. Half of the 2021-22 campaign has been played and no one has emerged as a clear cut favorite. The Milan clubs are placed one and two, with Inter top of the table having bagged 45 points and AC Milan following with 42.
Napoli and Atalanta are pushing in this Serie A race as they sit third and fourth respectively with 39 and 38 points of their own. Juventus are still trying to build momentum given their difficult start to life this season. It seems the Old Lady might miss out on the title for a second successive time.
Some world class midfielders have emerged out of Serie A in 2021
But more or less these clubs in Serie A have remained consistent in their performances throughout 2021. One reason for that has been their strong and consistent midfield which has helped produce crucial moments for these sides.
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Various midfielders in the Italian top-flight have delivered on the expectations fans have had with them. Before the second half of the competition begins, it is fair to recap the standout names from 2021.
Here are the five best midfielders in Serie A this year:
#5 Lorenzo Pellegrini
There was a lot of untapped potential in Lorenzo Pellegrini and the promise of a great future. There were more than glimpses but less than concrete proof. In 2021, the Italian really came into his own, showing his true colors and class. Pellegrini has relished the opportunity to captain Roma and has emerged as one of the best captains in Serie A this year.
The 25-year-old has exhibited his versatality throughout the year playing in different midfield roles. Pellegrini has shown great vision in creating goal-scoring chances for his team-mates. The midfielder is handy at protecting the ball and moves it at an impressive pace to facilitate quicker transitions.
In 2021, the Roma captain has recorded 10 goals and five assists in Serie A and has been prolific in Europa League matches as well. He has helped his team by breaking opposition lines and playing accurately weighted through balls.
In Serie A he is among the top midfielders when it comes to winning the ball back. The Italian uses his strength and frame to his advantage. His showings in 2021 have seen him linked with Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur.
#4 Franck Kessie
Antonio Conte knows Serie A very well having won the league with Inter Milan last season. If he is weighing his chances of bringing Franck Kessie to the Premier League then the midfielder must have done something right. Indeed he has, in fact, one could argue that Kessie is AC Milan's most important asset.
The midfielder's consistent and flawless performances have been a major reason for AC Milan's immense improvement over the course of last season. Kessie has been a vital cog in Stefano Pioli's team and has only missed three games in 2021.
A defensive midfielder by trait, the Ivorian knows how to quickly switch gears and is highly influential in the final-third. He is efficient at carrying the ball and starting a progressive run from the back. Kessie is equally good without the ball and is relentless while pressing.
The Rossoneri midfielder is a penalty specialist and that has seen him manage impressive goal contributions. In 2021, he bagged 14 goals and three assists in Serie A.
#3 Sergej Milinković-Savić
A popular name in Serie A for the past couple of years, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has seen his market value rise to as high as €90m. At present, he is valued at €70m and that is proof of how good 2021 has been for him. Many have argued in the recent past that the midfielder deserves to play for a bigger club.
The Lazio man has a knack for scoring goals. He also functions as a creative operator, allowing his teammates to put the ball in the back of the net. It really is a surprise that the Serie A side have managed to hold on to him for so long. Big sharks like Manchester United, Liverpool and Real Madrid have all been interested in his signing.
Milinkovic-Savic's work ethic, his aggression and intensity on the field are contagious and make him a real match winner. He is a top competitor on the football field and is always part of the action. The Serbian has netted 10 goals and provided 12 assists in Serie A in 2021.
#2 Nicolo Barella
Nicolo Barella has everything in him that an Antonio Conte midfielder should have. A fiery attitude, the ability to turn up on big occasions, a head to manage big and daunting situations. So clearly when those two paired up special things happened and Inter Milan ran away with the Serie A title.
Despite Conte's departure from Serie A, the midfielder has continued to shine. He will conclude the year as one of the best midfielders in the Italian top-flight. His ability to unlock defenses and set his attacking players free is quite exceptional.
The Italian is among the most gifted players in Serie A and therefore functions extremely well in a mezalla-like role. He is extremely mobile and stretches the opposition defense by shifting wide and playing between defensive lines.
Barella has managed eight assists in just 17 Serie A games this season, one less than the nine assists he managed in 36 matches last season. He has scored thrice in the 2021 calendar year. The 24-year old is only going to get better from this point onwards.
#1 Piotr Zielinski
No offense to anybody, but that name gives low-key mafia vibes when you first hear it. Watch Piotr Zielinski on the field and he does justify those vibes with his football. Without a doubt, the attacking midfielder is one of the most underrated names in Serie A right now.
He recorded his career best stats for Napoli last season, scoring 10 goals and assisting 13. The Poland international has continued performing at the same pace. He's not your average box-to-box midfielder. He has the creativity, the swagger, the sauce and goal contributions to show for it all.
Zielinski will end 2021 with 12 goals and 13 assists to his name in Serie A. The Napoli midfielder is good at disrupting the opposition from building their play and quick to initiate counters. He works tirelessly, presses with great intensity and creates space for his fellow teammates.
The 27-year-old is tied to a contract with the Serie A side until 2024, but now that he is hitting his prime, the suitors will soon knock on his door.
