Race for the Scudetto: Pulisic inspires AC Milan; Maldini Jr hits Monza stunner; Motta and Bologna again impress

Another Serie A weekend is in the books. Even though Inter Milan didn't win, the Nerazzurri are still firmly first in the standings: Milan won against Verona (thanks to Christian Pulisic) but they are 14 points behind (yes, that's right) their neighbours. Both Roma and Bologna won in the race for the fourth (and fifth) place, while Atalanta-Fiorentina was postponed due the condition of Joe Barone, Viola's manager, who suffered a stroke. Let's see what happened:

PLAYER OF THE WEEK - PELLEGRINI

Roma's captain is back at it, another masterpiece, another wonderful goal for the number 7, who single-handedly decided the match against Sassuolo.

We already said it in the past, Daniele De Rossi returned him to the centre of the team and things are going a lot better for the Giallorossi. He played an outstanding match on Sunday, deciding the score with an incredible solo: he started from the left of the pitch, then came in dribbling several opponents and shot with venomous and precise trajectory, impossible to save for Andrea Consigli, the Sassuolo goalkeeper.

The goal celebration was even better than the goal for the Giallorossi fans: he went close to the bench and hugged his friend/idol/manager De Rossi. Apart from the goal, anyway, he played an incredible match, putting quality and volume at his team's disposal. He will play for Italy during these days, as there will be International matches: Luciano Spalletti has selected him and it was a deserved call-up.

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK - PULISIC

He is the man of the moment for AC Milan. The former Chelsea player's star is shining and over recent matches he's played at an incredible level.

Stefano Pioli is counting on him to stay alive in a moment in which the team's performances are not the best. Milan isn't playing its best football, but key players like Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic are leading the team goal after goal.

Against Verona the American scored his 9th goal in Serie A this season, the 12th this year if we consider all the competitions. His teammates know that they can count on him: Pulisic is in a special moment and right now he's always in the right place at the right time. Striker, winger, trequartista: there's nothing he can't do.

TEAM OF THE WEEK - BOLOGNA

If you are getting bored of reading this name so often, just go to Thiago Motta and ask him to stop winning. Well, more or less: they have lost to Inter, the best team in Serie A.

Eight matches, seven victories, six of them in a row. Thiago Motta and his boys are really writing a new historic chapter. We mustn't consider all of this as "normal", or "simple", because what they are doing is neither simple nor normal.

Against Empoli on Friday they had to play without Josh Zirkzee, their best player, the most important one, but they managed to win anyway, with a last gasp goal, scored by Giovanni Fabbin, after a great shot from Riccardo Calafiori, one of the best defenders in Serie A at the moment (kudos to Thiago Motta, who's shaping him as a central defender), on which Elia Caprile could have done better, there's no doubt about that.

If the teams behind Bologna in the standing were hoping to have a chance without Zirkzee, Thiago Motta and his boys proved otherwise. Bologna is winning easily every match, as if they were a top European team playing on a tour. That's something truly remarkable and probably we are not fully aware of what they are achieving this season.

MOMENT OF THE WEEK - DANIEL MALDINI

Well, this is one way to shake off, for the umpteenth time, any kind of malicious thought. Daniel Maldini scored an incredible goal in the last league weekend and if you haven't seen it, well, what are you waiting for? Look for the highlights now and go watch.

Against Cagliari, the young offensive whiz struck a practically perfect free kick, an impossible-to-save shot for the goalkeeper: the ball touched the crossbar and then ended up in the net. It was a masterful free kick, one that brought to mind great players, friends and teammates of his dad Paolo, those footballers capable of performing magic forbidden to many.

Maldini's moment was truly magical, in the last few games he is finding confidence, continuity and goals: he seems to have found the right path to becoming the best version of himself.