Serie A Team of the Season, featuring Lukaku, Insigne, Barella and Donnarumma

Emmet Gates

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:47 CDT
• 7 min read

Serie A this season saw Juventus finally dethroned after what seemed an eternity of Bianconero dominance.

Inter ascended to the top of the Italian game for the first time in over a decade, with Antonio Conte utilising his now customary 3-5-2 system.

READ MORE: Juventus to be kicked out Serie A if they do not withdraw from European Super League

As the season draws to a close, we here at FootballTransfers.com have selected our team of the 2020/21 season.

In reverence to Conte’s achievement with Inter this season, we will also be playing with a three-man defence, but instead opting for a 3-4-1-2 system.

This is the Serie A Team of the Season.

Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma – Milan

The odd hiccup aside, Donnarumma has been outstanding for Milan this season. A cornerstone of the side that led Serie A for a large portion of the season, Donnarumma, still only 22-years-old, has grown in stature within the Milan locker room.

Furthermore, the stopper has demonstrated just how good of a goalkeeper he is. He’s kept 13 clean sheets this season, and has marshalled Milan’s defence with an authority that belies his youth.

It’s imperative that Milan keep him next season, but it all depends on whether they finish in the top four.

Centre back: Stefan De Vrij – Inter

The Dutchman has been one of the Nerazzurri’s most consistent performers this season.

Comfortable playing in either a two-man defence or in a three, De Vrij has been outstanding for Antonio Conte this season.

So much so that former Dutch player Willem van Hanegem recently stated that De Vrij is ‘clearly superior’ than the much-vaunted Matthijs de Ligt.

The 29-year-old is at the peak of his powers, and will lead The Netherlands into Euro 2021 at the back, in the absence of Virgil van Dijk.

Centre back: Cristian Romero – Atalanta

The rugged Argentine defender has had a tremendous season with La Dea, and has markedly improved under the tutelage of Gian Piero Gasperini.

Curently on a two-year loan deal from Juventus, Romero’s pace is his primary asset, but he’s equally as good as man-marking opposing strikers and is very good in the air.

Romero, who has shades of legendary Juventus defender Paolo Montero in his playing style, cemented his position at the heart of the Atalanta defence, as the club once again secure Champions League football for the third consecutive season.

The club will aim to secure the 23-year-old on a permanent basis.

Centre back: Simon Kjaer – Milan

The Dane was a low-key signing in January 2020. Overshadowed by the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kjaer has proved the better signing of the two.

The much-travelled defender, who had previous Serie A experience with Palermo and Roma, has been instrumental in Milan’s ability to rise back to the summit of the Italian game.

Kjaer has been in the form of his life and a steady influence at the back. He’s formed a very good partnership with recent arrival Fikayo Tomori, with the pair’s attributes complementing each other.

Left midfielder: Robin Gosens – Atalanta

Gosens has had another extraordinary season with Atalanta, with the swashbuckling left-wing back scoring a ludicrous 11 league goals this season, and providing six assists.

The Dutchman’s great form has alerted other sides from around Europe, and it remains to be seen if Atalanta will be able to hold on to the 27-year-old for a further season.

Gosens has become integral to Gasperini’s system, and they don’t look the same side when he’s absent.

Atalanta fans will be hoping that he stays.

Centre midfield: Franck Kessie – Milan

The Ivorian is fully fulfilling his potential on the €28m Milan paid for him  nearly four years ago.

Kessie, along with Ismael Bennacer, has been exceptional at the heart of the Milan midfield.

Kessie’s almost languid style of play has allowed Milan to slow games down when needed, but he also possess the power and pace to dominate games when the moment calls for it.

Kessie is also remarkable at penalties, he’s scored nine from the spot this season, and rarely misses.

At only 24, Kessie could be at the heart of the Milan midfield for the next several years, and he will only get better.

Centre midfield: Nicolo Barella – Inter

By far and away the best Italian midfielder of his generation, Barella has been outstanding for the Nerazzurri this season, as they usurped Juventus as the kings of Italy.

Barella’s all-action style of play is unrivalled by many in the division, and there’s no one with his attributes in Roberto Mancini’s Italy squad.

Barella has also weighed in with the goal contributions this season too, three goals and nine assists give only a snippet of his importance to Inter’s midfield.

Right midfield: Juan Cuadrado – Juventus

One of the few bright spots in what has been a disastrous year for Juventus, Juan Cuadrado has been the model of consistency on the right hand side.

The slinky Colombian is equally adept as cutting inside as he is of jinking around his marker. His crossing ability, both from deep and near the by-line, is unmatched in Serie A.

Cuadrado has scored twice in the league this season, but has contributed 11 assists in a Juventus side that has been remarkably poor.

The one consistent performer throughout a forgettable season.

Attacking midfielder: Lorenzo Insigne – Napoli

The Neapolitan native produced the best season of his career, with 19 goals and seven assists.

Insigne, usually occupying the left-hand side of Napoli’s 4-3-3, has mastered the ‘Zona Del Piero’ space, wherein he cuts in from the left and bends the ball into the opposite corner of the goal.

The club captain has been virtually an ever-present under Gennaro Gattuso this season, and his form has coincided with Napoli’s late surge into the top four.

They’ve lost only once in the last three months, and this in part is due to the exhilarating form of Insigne.

Striker: Luis Muriel – Atalanta

The Colombian’s goals to game ratio is astonishing, scoring on average a goal every 63 minutes. Muriel has netted 22 league goals in just over 1,300 minutes of football this season.

A simply ludicrous statistic.

Muriel, who when runs has shades of a young Ronaldo El Fenomeno, has proved deadly in front of goal when on the pitch, but furthermore, he’s been magnificent at setting up goals for his teammates, with Muriel registering nine assists this term.

In a career that’s not lived up to expectation, the 30-year-old is producing his best form for La Dea.

Better late than never.

Striker: Romelu Lukaku – Inter

Now regarded as one of the finest strikers in world football, Lukaku has improved immeasurably under Conte at Inter.

Lukaku built on an impressive first season in Italy, and has struck up a dynamic partnership with Lautaro Martinez, himself unlucky not to make it into the team of the year.

Lukaku scored 23 goals and provided 10 assists in 2020/21, an improvement on last season, in which he scored the same tally of goals, but assisted only twice.

Lukaku’s first touch – much derided by fans in England – has massively improved thanks to diligent training by Conte. He’s now scored 63 goals in all competitions for Inter, and is pivotal in Conte’s 3-5-2 system.

Such is Lukaku’s importance to Inter, that should the club sell him this summer due to the on-going financial issues, Conte could well resign in protest.

A standout season from the Belgian.