Two of Serie A’s most impressive players will go toe-to-toe in Rome in round 27.
When Roma and Napoli meet at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday afternoon it is not just a battle between Juventus’ closest Scudetto challengers, but the two most in-form midfielders in Serie A currently.
Since arriving in the capital from Cagliari in 2014, Radja Nainggolan has been a fundamental cog in the Giallorossi machine, while Partenopei captain Marek Hamsik has been starring in Naples for nearly a decade.
With the Slovakian just 10 months older than the Belgian, the longevity of his performance levels is probably the first significant difference between the pair, with Nainggolan’s clear improvement when hitting his peak years as a footballer.
Since moving to Naples as a fresh-faced 22-year-old, Hamsik was Serie A Young Player of the Year that maiden campaign and has continued that form to carry them to Champions League football and secure two Coppa Italia crowns.
That success was not without ineffective periods from Hamsik, though, when his first-team place was not always secured, but this term the 29-year-old has proved once again to be one of the best attacking-midfielders Italy has to offer.
Netting a hat-trick in the 7-1 rout of Bologna, the Azzurri skipper has hit 10 Serie A goals in his 26 appearances so far this season – taking him two short of his best-ever haul in a Napoli shirt.
2016-17 has been an equally fruitful campaign in front of goal for Nainggolan as well – 12 strikes in all competitions – however, many away from the peninsula view the diminutive ball of aggression and energy as a source of destruction, and certainly does is fair share of the ‘dirty work’.
With a multitude of tattoos on display and muscular frame, the Belgian strikes fear into the majority of his midfield opponents, but that image detracts from the important work he does driving Roma forward with his powerful runs and ability to shot from distance with force.
Against Napoli this weekend, though, the 28-year-old may find himself doing more leg work for the striking colleagues Mohamed Salah and Edin Dzeko, and that is likely to be due to how busy Hamsik has the Belgian in a defensive capacity.
The top scoring side in Serie A this term, the Slovakian has provided 7 assists and created just over two chances per game for his teammates, as coach Maurizio Sarri looks for his team to control possession and be clinical in their finishing.
Sitting ahead of the midfield and behind a likely trident of Lorenzo Insigne, Dries Mertens and Jose Callejon, Hamsik’s distribution has been near perfect this season as he supplies the ammunition for a strike force full of movement and speed.
Therefore, if the Romans are to triumphant and pull eight points ahead of their rivals, it could be the defensive work of Nainggolan making the difference for once this season, whatever the outcome in the capital, though, it is set to be an fascinating battle between the two mohican-sporting stars.
