Serie A resumes after a three-week break with several established names still waiting for the finish that their early-season chance creation has suggested. After five rounds, Opta’s expected-goals figures show a group of players whose returns in front of goal have fallen notably below the opportunities they have generated.
The comparison applies to players who have completed at least 270 league minutes. It is not a verdict on form by itself, but it offers a useful thread for the next stage of the campaign: clubs returning to Sunday football will hope that promising positions begin to produce goals.
Kolo Muani has the largest gap
Randal Kolo Muani stands at the head of the list. The Juventus forward has yet to score in Serie A, despite producing chances worth 2.05 expected goals. His difference between goals and xG is therefore -2.05, the largest underperformance among the qualifying players.
Paulo Dybala is another prominent name. The Roma attacker has already supplied four assists, underlining his influence during the opening weeks, but remains without a league goal. His 1.59 xG total leaves him with a -1.59 balance.
Fiorentina’s summer recruit Arthur Atta has also created opportunities worth 1.31 xG without converting any of them. Giovanni Simeone, still looking for his first Serie A goal of the season, has a -1.20 difference between his scoring return and expected goals.
Lazio, Genoa and Inter players among those still waiting
Armand Laurienté has been a threat from the left for Sassuolo but has not yet found the net. His chances have carried a combined value of 1.16 xG, leaving him just ahead of Lazio’s Mattia Zaccagni in this particular ranking.
Zaccagni is the only player in the group to have scored already. His one Serie A goal has come from opportunities valued at 2.14 xG, producing a -1.14 figure.
Inter centre-back Manuel Akanji has also reached dangerous areas without recording his first league goal. He has accumulated a -1.05 goals-versus-xG difference. Genoa’s Tommaso Baldanzi is on exactly 1.00 xG and remains scoreless, while teammate Lorenzo Colombo has posted a -0.93 balance.
Lazio defender Danilho Doekhi completes the group. The former Union Berlin centre-back has not scored in the league and has a -0.90 gap against his expected-goals total.
Players furthest below their expected-goals return
| Player | Club | Goals | xG | Goals minus xG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randal Kolo Muani | Juventus | 0 | 2.05 | -2.05 |
| Paulo Dybala | Roma | 0 | 1.59 | -1.59 |
| Arthur Atta | Fiorentina | 0 | 1.31 | -1.31 |
| Giovanni Simeone | Not stated | 0 | 1.20 | -1.20 |
| Armand Laurienté | Sassuolo | 0 | 1.16 | -1.16 |
| Mattia Zaccagni | Lazio | 1 | 2.14 | -1.14 |
| Manuel Akanji | Inter | 0 | 1.05 | -1.05 |
| Tommaso Baldanzi | Genoa | 0 | 1.00 | -1.00 |
| Lorenzo Colombo | Genoa | 0 | 0.93 | -0.93 |
| Danilho Doekhi | Lazio | 0 | 0.90 | -0.90 |
The next fixtures will determine whether these figures become an early footnote or a more persistent concern. For forwards such as Kolo Muani, Colombo and Simeone, the priority is straightforward: turn the chances already being created into the goals their sides need. For Dybala, Zaccagni and the defenders on the list, a first or further scoring contribution could add another layer to what has already been a busy opening chapter of the Serie A season.
