A pantomime villain full of potential and raw ability in the past, although now one of, if not the most clinical striker on the planet.
Mauro Icardi’s cut-throat finishing is what has made Inter such a ruthless team to face this season, with Nerazzurri supporters now craving for their captain to turn up once again this Saturday, in what will perhaps be the most important Derby d’Italia in decades.
With 39 and 37 points respectively after 15 Serie A matches, there are currently just two splitting both Inter and Juventus at the top of the table, made even more interesting by the spur of Napoli sitting between them.
Needless to say that the race for the Scudetto is well and truly on, although Inter could perhaps stake their claim as strong favourites should they get a result in Turin, which would extend their unbeaten streak this season.
To do so, they will no doubt need the help of Icardi. The Argentinian attacker has bagged 16 goals in 15 Serie A matches this season, leading the way for an Inter side that only seems to be growing in confidence.
This strong tally of goals includes a total of five braces, easily demonstrating how crucial the 24-year-old has been in picking up points for his team this season.
However, what has hit home most so far is how clinical Icardi really is when in front of goal. Previously described as ‘a hawk’ by Luciano Spalletti, the Nerazzurri coach is well aware of how easily Icardi can rip apart his prey.
Having taken just 51 shots in Serie A this season, the striker has somehow managed to find the back of the net on 16 occasions. In comparison, Roma’s Edin Dzeko has had 74 attempts on goal, resulting in just eight goals.
Importantly, ‘Maurito’ has had a significantly effective record when playing against Juventus in the past, including his stints with both Sampdoria and Inter. Since his first encounter against the Bianconeri back in January 2013, Icardi has since scored seven goals in nine Serie A matches against Juventus.
No other player has managed to score more than three times against the Bianconeri in this same Serie A spell.
The all-time Derby d’Italia goalscoring record is currently jointly held by Giuseppe Meazza, Omar Sivori and Roberto Boninsegna with 12; an enticing statistic that Icardi will most likely pass should he remain with Inter for the foreseeable future.
There has understandably been recent speculation linking him with a potential move to Real Madrid, although as already stated by the striker, why on earth would he leave?
He is already Inter captain at the tender age of 24 and has the entire team built around him. With the impressive supporting cast of both Ivan Perisic and Antonio Candreva on the flanks, Icardi has all the service he needs, as they constantly fire in accurate crosses to fuel his insatiable appetite for goals.
His attacking contribution has already been key this season in terms of Inter hoping to secure their main objective of Champion League football, although Saturday’s encounter could well alter Inter’s true ambitions for the remainder of the campaign.
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