90min's 2019/20 Serie A Team of the Season

A season like no other ended the same way so many have before.

Juventus won their ninth-consecutive Serie A title and the 36th (or 38th, if you ask owner Andrea Agnelli) of the club's illustrious history. Yet, this was hardly a vintage campaign from a Juventus side in the midst of a cultural facelift.

While the Old Lady staggered and stuttered over the finish line, Serie A was treated to the scintillating exploits of Lazio and Atalanta - squads that had become well-oiled machines after several years spent together.

Antonio Conte's Inter threatened to continue their manager's record of scooping the league title in his debut season while neighbours Milan lost just two league games in the entirety of 2020.

The outcome may have been predictable, but the journey there was as enthralling as ever.

Goalkeeper: Wojciech Szczesny

Juventus may have topped the table with the worst defensive record of a Serie A champions since the 1960s, but Wojciech Szczesny should bare little of the blame - saving almost 80% of the shots that came his way.

The best praise the Polish number one could receive is the fact that he has seamlessly replaced the living legend that is Gianluigi Buffon - who cheers on his every stop from the bench as though he made it himself.

Honourable mentions: Thomas Strakosha, Alessio Cragno

Right-Back: Hans Hateboer

The Dutch wingback is hardly the first name to leap off the page in this Atalanta side bristling with talent (more on them later) but Hans Hateboer is an instrumental part of this vibrant attacking force. Standing over 6' tall, the sight of Hateboer barrelling down the right flank at full speed is one opposition defenders have come to dread on the peninsula.

Honourable mentions: Juan Cuadrado, Davide Faraoni

Centre-Back: Stefan de Vrij

As he has made a habit of in his recent managerial roles, Conte set Inter up with a three-man defence swiftly after arriving. At the heart of the stingiest backline in Serie A sat Stefan de Vrij.

The Netherlands international - having had ample experience of a similar set up from his days at Lazio - was imperious as the central defender in Inter's 3-5-2, stepping up into midfield when his side had possession while also posing a threat from set pieces.

Centre-Back: Francesco Acerbi

The hulking figure of Francesco Acerbi anchored Lazio's parsimonious defence in all but two games this season. Despite twice being diagnosed with testicular cancer earlier in his career, Acerbi has returned to become one of the most reliable and authoritative defenders in Serie A.

Just six players have dared to dribble past Acerbi this season, as the 32-year-old's best impression of a brick wall has been pivotal to Lazio's record of the second best Serie A defence.

Honourable mentions: Milan Skriniar, Chris Smalling, Alessio Romagnoli

Left-Back: Theo Hernández

On Christmas Day, the best present Milan fans could have asked for was a way to erase the memory of the first half of the season. That is, apart from the displays of Theo Hernández.

The Rossoneri went into the winter break sitting 11th in the table having scored just 16 goals from 17 games. Yet, a quarter of those strikes came from the boot of the club's rampaging left-back. Hernández would take his tally up to six by the end of the season but the 22-year-old's spirited performances in those tough few months gave Milan the platform to qualify for Europe after a sensational 2020.

Honourable mentions: Robin Gosens, Luca Pellegrini

Central Midfield: Ismaël Bennacer

After starting just three of Milan's first nine games this season, Ismaël Bennacer has since only been kept out of the side through suspension, thriving as Milan's deep-lying playmaker.

The former Arsenal youth team player has proven to be equally adept at snapping into a tackle and pressing the opposition as he is at weaving his way through a crammed midfield and finding a teammate in the final third.

Central Midfield: Luis Alberto

Lazio's creative lynchpin has continued to pull the strings despite shifting to a deeper midfield position over the past two seasons. The relationship between Luis Alberto and Ciro Immobile is near telepathic and as much as the striker's goals have been pivotal, the Spaniard's subtle slips in behind the opposition defence are just as crucial.

Honourable mentions: Fabian Ruiz, Rodrigo Bentancur

Attacking Midfield: Alejandro 'Papu' Gómez

Atalanta's captain and inspiration has only gotten better with age. The 32-year-old tops Serie A's creative charts with 16 assists but his near omnipotence on the pitch makes him so much more than a mere provider.

Gómez pops up all over the pitch, bobbing and weaving his way into the final third with ease as few players in Serie A or Europe have been able to pin down the slippery Argentinian.

Honourable mentions: Lorenzo Pellegrini, Radja Nainggolan

Right Winger: Josip Iličić

Arguably the player of the season, Josip Iličić can look as though he's exhausting every last energy reserve to simply potter around the pitch - there's a reason he's been bestowed the nickname 'Nonna' (Grandma). Yet, when the Slovenia international is in full flow, there are few more thrilling spectacles in modern football than just trying to guess what he may do next.

Honourable Mentions: Dejan Kulusevski, Domenico Berardi

Striker: Ciro Immobile

How could the player who equalled the Serie A record for goals in a single season be left out of the team of the year? Admittedly, some (possibly Roma fans) may point to the fact that a whopping 14 of Ciro Immobile's 36 goals this term have been penalties.

However, Lazio's frontman has won five of those spot kicks himself - more than any other player in the division - and would still top the scoring charts if only non-penalty goals were considered. Another stunning campaign for the winner of this season's European Golden Shoe.

Honourable mentions: Romelu Lukaku, Edin Dzeko, Ciccio Caputo

Left Winger: Cristiano Ronaldo

While Juventus have rarely shown the fluidity many demanded of Maurizio Sarri's side, Cristiano Ronaldo has continued to do what his legend is built on: score goals.

Ronaldo added ten goals to last season's league tally, taking him to 31 in Serie A. This total gave him the highest scoring return of a Juventus player since Felice Borel in 1934.

Despite turning 35 this season, the Portugal international has shown few signs of slowing down as he led Juve to the title with almost frightening consistency in front of goal - from November onwards, Ronaldo went just four Serie A games without a goal.

Honourable mentions: Jeremie Boga, Federico Chiesa