PLAYER OF THE SEASON

THE BEST OF THE BEST

As the campaign draws to a close, Calcio Italia takes a look at the star men from 2006-07. We list our eight nominees for our annual Player of the Season award – but the final decision belongs to you...

Rolando Bianchi (Reggina)

Prior to this season, Bianchi had found the net just three times in 54 Serie A appearances and missed much of the previous term with a career-threatening injury. He equalled his total tally with a stunning hat-trick on the opening day of the season against Palermo and hasn’t looked back since. Having netted over a third of the Amaranto’s goals this term, it’s safe to say that the club would have had no chance of overturning their Calciopoli points deduction to avoid relegation without their young hitman, who has also combined with veteran Nicola Amoruso to superb effect.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter)

Whilst it would be insane to suggest that the Swedish striker won Inter the title single-handedly, no other player in the Nerazzurri shirt had more of an impact on their season. His signing from Juventus proved to be a masterstroke, as he found his scoring boots after a barren term last year, while his brilliant improvisation set up many a goal for his colleagues. Still prone to the odd bout of indiscipline and he has yet to put on a show on the continent, but when it comes to Serie A there have been few better over the last nine months.

Kaka (Milan)

Has anyone been as crucial to their side’s cause as Kaka has been at Milan? Forget Ronaldo’s late season burst which helped secure Champions League qualification for next term, if it hadn’t been for Kaka then the sloppy Rossoneri would have been mid-table at best before Roni even arrived. The Brazilian fantasista has been in sensational form all season, whether it be domestic or European action. No one scored more Champions League goals than the No 22, while he also possesses the key – both passing and dribbling – to unlock even the tightest defence.

Marco Materazzi (Inter)

Technically this term began on September 10, but it would be foolhardy to overlook the platform upon which Matrix built his commanding campaign. From villain to hero at the World Cup, Materazzi followed that up with a season where, far from being the aggressor, he found himself the victim in feuds with Gennaro Delvecchio and Bruno Giordano. While certainly not a saint, he put his mind clearly on his playing duties during this term and it was fitting that, in a Latin-American flavoured squad, it was the leading Italian who snared the two goals at Siena which sealed the Scudetto for Inter.

62 Calcio Italia June 2007