Five things we learned from Serie A

Higuain answers fat app critics for Juve

Gonzalo Higuain has been criticised throughout his career for missing goal chances and failing to keep his weight down. It reached a peak earlier this year when digruntled Argentina fans created a smart phone app mocking his appearance, and his tendency to fluff the odd shot. But Higuain is a hard man to keep down. Despite a latest wave of criticism due to a barren spell at Juventus, the Argentina striker was on fire for the Italian champions twice when it mattered most in the past week. ‘ Pipita’ hit a 52nd minute opener in a 2- 0 Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb that secured top spot in Group H.

Strootman, and Roma laugh off Lulic race row

A week after Roma defender Antonio Rudiger was the subject of racist comments by Lazio midfielder Senad Lulic following a bitterly- contested derby, the Giallorossi are laughing the incident off. Lulic was condemned in some quarters for telling a television reporter that Rudiger, “two years ago, was selling socks and belts in Stuttgart and now he thinks he’s a phenomenon.” Rudiger, who is black, is a Germany international and Dutch teammate Kevin Strootman was the latest member of the Roma family to respond to Lulic’s comments with irony.

New coach, same Palermo

Eugenio Corini is Palermo’s third coach this season but after two losses in two games he would be forgiven for reading the smallprint on his six- month contract. Club president Maurizio Zamparini brought the 46-year- old Italian on board hoping he can stave off relegation for a second time since the 75year- old retail tycoon took over the club in 2002. But Corini is already heading in the same direction as predecessors Roberto De Zerbi and Davide Ballardini, the latter lasting only two weeks into the campaign.

Kalinic comes home at last

Nikola Kalinic wowed Fiorentina’s fan last season with 12 league goals, including a stunning hat-trick in a memorable 4-1 win at Inter Milan that stunned the San Siro. This season, the Croatia international has stood out for scoring all his goals away from home -- until Monday, when he redressed the balance in style thanks to a stunning first- half brace in a 2-1 win over Sassuolo that moved Fiorentina up to seventh place. Kalinic, who failed to make an impact at Blackburn Rovers when he moved to the Premier League club in 2009, moved to Fiorentina in 2015 after helping Ukrainian giants Dnipro to the 2015 Europa League final. The 28-year- old Croatia international had hit all six of his goals previous to Monday’s brace away from the Artemio Franchi stadium.

Gabigol set for quick return to Brazil?

Bought for 29m euros from FC Santos, Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa was hailed as the next big thing when he arrived at Inter Milan from the former club of Barcelona star Neymar Jr. in the summer. But the love affair is already over, according to his agent Wagner Ribeiro. Gabigol has played 16 minutes, against Bologna, for the Nerazzurri as they look to overcome a disappointing season that has left them in seventh at 15 points off the lead of Juventus. Gabigol is not a happy man and has spoken of a possible return to Brazil, according to reports. “He’s not playing, he’s played 16 minutes in three months,” said Ribeiro. — AFP