Our scout report this week zeroes in on Cagliari's attacking maestro, Nicolas Viola, who has been influential in Serie A this season. Despite his ripe age of 34, Viola's technical finesse and nose for goal remain unrivaled, with he impressively ranking in the top 6% for goal efficiency.
Viola's chance creation and goal threat are among the highest in the league, reaping rewards for Cagliari in the form of goals and assists. Indeed, a testament to his attacking prowess, he finds himself in the top tier of the league for assists per 90 minutes, goal per 90, xA per 90 minutes, xG per 90 minutes, and Shots per 90, showing his ability to consistently deliver in the final third.
However, a closer look at Viola's player stats reveals a noticeable draining in his defensive contribution. A low percentile ranking for ball recovery and interceptions suggests a tendency to shy away from the defensive side of play, rendering him a potential liability when Cagliari do not possess the ball. His touch percentile suggests he sees a fair share of the ball but is unable to fully capitalise on these chances due to an underwhelming pass accuracy rate.
In terms of possession area, Viola leans more towards the attacking third, demonstrating his style of play as an attack-minded midfielder. His overall duel win percentage is low, further suggesting that he prefers to let his boots do the talking in the attacking third rather than engage in physical tussles. Ultimately, Nicolas Viola is a player who can create magic in the attacking phase but requires support defensively – an enticing prospect yet a tactical challenge for any coach.
Nicolas Viola Key stats
Nicolas Viola Career Trend
Nicolas Viola Shot Maps
Nicolas Viola Shot Summary
In the 2023-2024 season, Nicolas Viola took 34 shots, scoring 5 goals. This output came from an Expected Goals (xG) of 2.97, averaging 0.09 xG per shot.
Right Foot: 0 goals from 2 shots. A 0.0% conversion rate. 0.09 xG per shot.
Left Foot: 3 goals from 27 shots. A 11.11% conversion rate. 0.07 xG per shot.
Headers: 2 goals from 5 headed attempts. A 40.0% conversion rate. 0.17 xG per shot.
