Five rounds into the Serie A season, 23 outfield players have completed every available minute: 450 in all, without a substitution or a place on the bench. Their value is not measured only in goals or assists. For coaches building new teams, protecting fragile starts or chasing continuity, these are the players who have become the fixed points of Sunday afternoons.
The ever-present spine of the leading clubs
Inter have leaned on Nicolò Barella from the opening day. Cristian Chivu spared him only for the final half-hour of the Champions League meeting with Real Madrid, while in Serie A the midfielder has supplied a goal and an assist across his five complete appearances. Barella continues to cover every phase of the match, from first build-up to late runs into the area. His highest league return remains six goals; reaching double figures would represent another step in his development.
At Como, 21-year-old Ramón has retained his place despite Trevoh Chalobah’s arrival, which instead displaced Kempf. Cesc Fabregas has used the former Real Madrid academy player as a flexible defender: capable of defending, progressing the ball and moving forward, with his near two-metre frame a major asset in the air. He has already scored once, and after collecting 11 yellow cards and a red last season, he has gone through the opening month without a booking. Como, however, have conceded in every league fixture.
- Strahinja Pavlovic remains a regular for Ruben Amorim, who values his aggression, speed in supporting a high line and ability to hit long passes. His delivery created Christian Pulisic’s goal against Lecce, and he also completed 90 minutes in the Europa League.
- Koni De Winter moved ahead following Matteo Gabbia’s injury and has given Milan a generally dependable five-match run in central defence. His marking still has room to improve, and pace is not his defining quality, but Amorim has kept faith with him.
- Giorgio Scalvini is central to Maurizio Sarri’s attempt to reshape Atalanta from the back. Having emerged in a three-man defence, he is continuing his adaptation to a back four, alongside Odilon Kossounou first and then Kristensen. At 22, he remains one of the division’s outstanding defenders, fitness permitting.
- Gleison Bremer has started strongly for Juventus, scoring twice in five matches, including the decisive strike against Frosinone on the opening weekend. Luciano Spalletti’s captain is a defensive leader and a threat in the air; Juventus have regularly felt his absence when he is unavailable.
- Pierre Kalulu has also played every minute for Juventus. His performances dipped last season while being used both as a third centre-back and as a full-back, but Spalletti appreciates his relentless running and his habit of arriving from deep. Since joining Juventus, he has been a constant after a more injury-hit spell at Milan.
Defenders and midfielders carrying their clubs
Lazio’s early surge has been built on a much firmer defence. Gennaro Gattuso’s side have conceded only three goals, level with Roma as the league’s second-best record and behind Cagliari. Mads Provstgaard, who arrived amid doubts a year ago, has played his part. The 23-year-old offers a strong left foot, aerial authority and enough aggression in duels.
At Napoli, Amir Rrahmani remains the organiser of Massimiliano Allegri’s defensive line. During pre-season he spoke of the atmosphere around the squad, saying: “With Allegri we feel free to communicate, and there is a positivity that we need.” Since arriving in 2020-21, Rrahmani has averaged 27 Serie A appearances per season. He has repeatedly come close to a full 38-match campaign, recording 37 appearances two years ago, 36 the season before and 37 again in 2022-23.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo has been similarly durable on Napoli’s right flank. He has lifted two Scudetti as captain and has remained the first choice regardless of the coach in charge.
- Radu Dragusin joined Fiorentina through Fabio Paratici, who had previously worked with him at Juventus and brought him to Tottenham. After an initially difficult period under Fabio Grosso, the 24-year-old Romanian is trying to establish himself fully.
- Morten Frendrup continues to provide the running power in Daniele De Rossi’s midfield. He was among Serie A’s biggest distance-coverers last season and does the less visible work for the side. He has never managed more than two league goals in a campaign.
- Torbjorn Heggem, a 27-year-old Norwegian, has moved from Domenico Tedesco’s back four to Raffaele Palladino’s three-man line, operating centrally. Strong at stepping in to intercept, he still has areas to refine. Across five Serie A seasons, he has made 111 appearances.
- Lewis Ferguson remains a reference point for Bologna despite their troubled beginning: two points from five matches, six goals conceded and a coaching change already made. Apart from a cruciate ligament injury two years ago, the captain has been a dependable midfield presence. His best Serie A scoring season brought six goals.
- Michel Adopo has found his most convincing home at Cagliari after less rewarding spells involving Atalanta, Torino and Viterbese. Fabio Pisacane has developed him into a multi-purpose figure, used across wide areas, behind the forwards and in midfield. Assists for Mendy in Bergamo and Romano at Parma have helped drive Cagliari’s bright start.
Wide players and emerging regulars
Armand Laurienté has been indispensable for Alberto Aquilani at Sassuolo, partly because there is no like-for-like alternative in the squad. The wide forward brings dribbling, pace and creativity, although Sassuolo are still waiting for the goals that normally accompany his game. He has one assist after five rounds, with his performance against Napoli his best of the season.
Aquilani has also given a full role to 2004-born full-back Cinquegrano. The young Italian has recorded an assist and has become a consistent outlet in Sassuolo’s possession play. This is his first senior season, yet the step up has not unsettled him.
Lecce have found two players they cannot remove. Portuguese full-back Danilo Veiga has a striking pattern to his start: Lecce have won each time he has made an assist, first against Venezia and then at home to Monza. Lassana Coulibaly has provided the balance in midfield, combining defensive effort with forward influence. He began the campaign with an assist and then scored twice against Monza in a direct contest.
- Enrico Delprato remains Parma’s captain and defensive leader following Alessandro Circati’s summer departure. The number 15 can operate as a right-sided defender in a back three or as a full-back, drawing on a background that has also included midfield. Last season he scored twice in the league, against Milan and Lazio at the Olimpico.
- Joel Schingtienne has been Venezia’s one unchanging defensive presence under Giovanni Stroppa, despite a difficult beginning that has left the club on zero points after five games. The 23-year-old Belgian already has 60 appearances for the club, as well as a relegation to Serie B and promotion back to Serie A. He has received three yellow cards this season.
- Jesper Karlstrom is the one midfielder Kosta Runjaic has not done without at Udinese. The 31-year-old captain has scored once, although it came in a 2-1 home defeat to Lazio. He appeared in 73 of a possible 76 Serie A matches over the previous two seasons; his preceding league goal had come on 31 January 2025. He once shared a Sweden training camp with his idol Zlatan Ibrahimovic, though they never played together.
- Emanuele Valeri continues to own Parma’s left flank. Since arriving at the club, he has played at least 34 league matches each season, including 35 two years ago. Carlos Cuesta trusts his speed, delivery and defensive reliability.
These 23 players have reached the first pause point of the season without a missed league minute. Some are captains, some are still learning the division, and some are carrying teams through unsettled starts. What links them is simpler: in a league where coaches are already reshaping their sides, they have become the players most difficult to replace.
