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Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, the Italian Serie A teams dominated European football. While the "Golden Age" of Italian football seems to be a thing of the past, Serie A remains a very competitive league, with top players from all over the world regularly strengthening the ranks of its teams.

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The lower prestige of Serie A, when compared to other European leagues, is actually good news for FIFA 22 players looking to build their Ultimate Teams around the first Italian division. Highly-rated Serie A cards tend to be much cheaper than their Premier League or La Liga counterparts, making this league a very attractive option for new FIFA players with tight FUT coin budgets.

Updated June 2, 2022 by Maciej Grzymkowski: The end of the season is always a time for reflection and planning for the upcoming challenges. This is true for both real-life managers, as well as FIFA Ultimate Team players.

Making changes in some of the crucial positions in anticipation of stat boosts when FIFA 23 rolls around is a good way to familiarize oneself with players that will likely be in high demand in the next iteration of EA's soccer franchise. This article was updated to include players that have made a significant impact on the pitch this season in the three key positions: center back, central midfielder, and striker.

Goalkeepers

wojciech-szczesny-juventus

Best option: Wojciech Szczesny

Budget option: Salvatore Sirigu

Poland's Wojciech Szczesny had a bit of a rough start to his Juventus career due to the fact that he had to compete with Gianluigi Buffon, a living club legend. After Buffon's departure, however, Szczesny has developed into a complete player, with credentials to compete for the status of one of the best keepers in the game. With an 87 OVR rating and key stats like diving, handling, and positioning well into the high 80s, Serie A fans surely won't regret shelling out 15,000 for the Polish international.

With a price tag of ~800 coins and an overall rating of 82, Genoa's Salvatore Sirigu is a fantastic option for players who are yet to play their first competitive match and don't have too many coins to splurge on more expensive players. With 82-rated diving and a positioning stat of 84, Sirigu is a great placeholder option while amassing a bigger budget.

Right Back

Juan Cuadrado

Best option: Juan Cuadrado

Budget option: Manuel Lazzari

Pace option: Manuel Lazzari

Juan Cuadrado is a Serie A and Juventus veteran. At 33-year-old, this right back seems to be aging like fine wine. A pace rating of 90 and 87-rated dribbling are among the highest in the entire game for this position. He's a must-buy for FIFA players wanting to build fast-paced, counter-attacking teams.

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Of course, not everyone has the 8,000 coins required to purchase Cuadrado right away. Lazio's much, much cheaper (~1,000 coins) Manuel Lazzari offers a similar skill set, with a bit lower dribbling rating (82), but better pace (92). As far as carrying out blistering counterattacks goes, few players are better than Lazzari, although he might be a bit of a liability when it comes to defending with his 65-rated physicality.

As well as being a solid budget option, Manuel Lazzari also happens to be the fastest Serie A right back available in FIFA 22. Cuadrado is the second fastest, with Atalanta right back Joakim Mæhle (89 pace) third on the list. The young Dane typically costs around 700 coins, though given that Lazzari can be snapped up for only a few hundred more, this isn't really much of a bargain. For those with team chemistry on their minds, Napoli's Giovanni Di Lorenzo (84 pace) isn't a bad shout though, especially at just 850 coins.

Center Backs

Kalidou Koulibaly

Best options: Kalidou Koulibaly and Milan Skriniar

Budget options: Kostas Manolas and Francesco Acerbi

Pace options: Fikayo Tomori and Kalidou Koulibaly

Alternative options: Chris Smalling and Gianluca Mancini

Despite numerous offers from top European clubs, Kalidou Koulibaly seems to have made Napoli his home. In Southern Italy, he's developed into one of the best center-backs in the modern game. With 87-rated defending and a physicality stat of 85, he should be a key component of any impenetrable Serie A defense. Inter's Milan Skriniar's nearly identical stats speak for themselves. Players with 20,000 coins to spend on a center-back pairing will not find a better option than the Slovak-Senegalese duo.

Manolas plays alongside Koulibaly in Napoli, but despite his 85-rated defensive skills and a pace rating of 81, the Greek defender's OVR rating is significantly brought down by a shooting rating of 25 and 44-rated passing. As a purely defensive choice, however, he is more than enough, especially for the price of 1,100 coins. Combined with Francesco Acerbi whose defensive stats reach into the high 80s, they'll form a formidable, albeit slightly static duo for just 2,000 coins.

Milan's Fikayo Tomori (82 pace) is the fastest Serie A center back in FIFA 22 and can typically be purchased for just a little over 1,000 coins. There's actually a three-way tie when it comes to second place, however, with Kalidou Koulibaly, Kostas Manolas, and Roma's Ibanez all sitting on 81 pace. Those worried about the budget should pair the latter with Tomori due to his 800 coin price tag, while anyone seeking chemistry will probably want to opt for the two Napoli center backs instead, who together will set players back around 16,000 coins.

Chris Smalling and Gianluca Mancini, AS Roma's defensive pairing, have consistently put on solid performances in the 2021/22 season in Serie A, and were largely responsible for the club's UEFA Europa Conference League win this year. Defensively-minded players looking for a high-strength pairing should look no further than Jose Mourinho's first-choice CBs. They can be bought at the marketplace for a mere 3,000 coins for both players, but that price is likely to shoot up in FIFA 23.

Left Back

Theo Hernandez

Best option: Theo Hernandez

Budget option: Alex Sandro

Pace option: Theo Hernandez

The French left-wing-back Theo Hernandez is one of the most expensive full-backs in Serie A, and for a good reason. His 93 pace rating and 82-rated physicality mean that he is just as good going forward as he is at making sure opposition wingers don't get a good chance on goal. Priced at around 10,500 coins, though, Hernandez's card, unfortunately, exceeds the budgets of many new FUT players.

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Alex Sandro used to be one of the key players in Juventus, and while he's still held in high regard in the club, he's fallen down the pecking order at the Old Lady due to an influx of younger defensive talent. He's a solid budget option for FUT players though, with 81-rated pace and other crucial stats right under the 80-point threshold. For 1,000 coins, he should be a no-brainer for all those looking to save up on defenders.

As well as being the best all-around left-back in Serie A, Theo Hernandez also happens to be the fastest too. With 93 pace, he just beats out Leonardo Spinazzola (92 pace), though the Roma man is considerably cheaper at just 2,500 coins. Despite his low price tag, his overall rating is only actually one lower, and he actually boasts a slightly better defense stat than Hernandez too. Those who have Napoli players in the other three defensive positions may want to look into Mario Rui, though he's quite a bit slower (80 pace) despite being much cheaper at just 600 coins.

Right Midfielder/Winger

federico-chiesa

Best option: Federico Chiesa

Budget option: Hirving Lozano

Pace option: Hirving Lozano

A price tag of 1,900 coins for the best right winger in a league is not a commonplace occurrence in FIFA. This is the case with Federico Chiesa, though. The 83-rated Juventus player is a must-buy for anyone who values pace (91) and dribbling (85) skills above all else. Combined with 81-rated shooting, Chiesa can be utilized not only as a great forward to push the ball into the final third but also as a goalscoring machine in the hands of skilled players.

Hirving Lozano is only slightly cheaper than Chiesa, and it shouldn't come as a surprise, as their stats are fairly similar. With a pace rating of 93, the Mexican footballer who plays for Napoli is one of the fastest Serie A players, and with 82-rated dribbling and 76 shooting, he's not that far off of Chiesa's stats. For 1,000 coins, this pacey winger is a true bargain.

Given his 93 pace, it should be unsurprising to learn that Lozano is the fastest right-winger in Serie A, and Chiesa's 91 places him just a little further behind. Both are solid picks for a pacey team, as too is Roma's Rick Karsdorp (87 pace); particularly at just 550 coins. For those with a little more to spend, Lozano's inform card can be snapped up for 22,000 coins, and boasts 94 pace, 85 dribbling, and an 84 overall, though it's actually classed as an LW card rather than an RW.

Central Midfielders

Barella

Best options: Nicolo Barella and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Budget options: Piotr Zielinski and Adrien Rabiot

Pace options: Piotr Zielinski and Nicolo Zaniolo

Alternative options: Lucas Leiva and Sandro Tonali

The Serbian central midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is an ominous presence on the pitch, with 86-rated physicality. He's also a top-notch passer (80) and dribbler (81), best utilized as a holding center midfielder. Milinkovic-Savic's flaws in other departments are perfectly complemented by Nicolo Barella's 86-rated dribbling and a pace rating of 79. Together, they form a formidable midfield duo that's also quite affordable at around 10,000 coins.

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Napoli's Piotr Zielinski is the definition of an undervalued player. An overall rating of 81 may not look too impressive, but he truly shines where it matters for a midfielder. A dribbling skill rated at 85, as well as the 81-rated pace and passing attributes have earned him the reputation of one of the most reliable Serie A midfielders, and 800 coins for him is simply an offer that's too good to pass up on. Juve's Rabiot can be purchased for the same price, and while his skill set is similar to that of Zielinski, he is slightly less skilled than the Polish star.

The center of the pitch is one of the few areas where players can get away with having a slow player or two, which bodes well considering how few pacey central midfielders there are in Seria A. Piotr Zielinski is one of very few decent options in this regard, with his 81 pace making him one of the fastest center mids in the entire league. Roma's Nicolo Zaniolo is actually a little faster (83 pace) and can also be snapped up for just 700 coins making him an absolute bargain. For those with Napoli players in every other position though (which isn't a bad idea for those looking to build a fast Serie A team with good chemistry), Zambo Anguissa's inform card boasts 82 pace, but will set players back around 25,000 coins.

CDM may not be the preferred position for highly competitive FUT players due to their low pace and defensive tendencies. Astute tacticians can use this to their advantage and surprise opponents by adding strong CDMs to their squad and using them to launch deadly counterattacks against spotty defenses of attacking-minded FUT players. Lazio's Lucas Leiva and AC Milan's Sandro Tonali are both great choices for this strategy, with decent defensive skills and high vision and short pass stats. They both had a great 2021/22 season, and Tonali was an important part of Milan's Scudetto winning squad. FUT fans should expect his value and overall rating to skyrocket in FIFA 23.

Left Midfielder/Winger

Lorenzo-Insigne

Best option: Lorenzo Insigne

Budget option: Ante Rebic

Pace option: Deulofeu

Insigne played a key role in helping the Italian national team win the 2020 Euros, and his international achievements have not gone unnoticed by EA Sports. In FIFA 22, he is one of the best forwards in the game. With 90-rated dribbling and 87 pace, skilled players should be able to use him to single-handedly do away with the opponent's defensive formation. Insigne is also a great team player, and his 85-rated passes will surely help create goalscoring opportunities, as well.

Players looking for proof that Serie A is one of the most beginner-friendly leagues in terms of FUT prices should look up Ante Rebic in the transfer market. His prices oscillate between 700 and 900 coins, and that's for a winger who boasts 86 pace, 81 dribbling, and a shooting stat of 83! Of course, it's a significant step down from Insigne, but given that the Italian star's prices often reach 10,000 coins, the Croatian does not seem to be a bad alternative at all.

Former Barcelona and Watford man Gerard Deulofeu moved to Udinese on loan at the start of the 2020-2021 season and opted to make the move permanent last summer. With 88 pace, he's tied for the fastest left-sided midfielder in Italy and offers decent value for money at just 700 coins. Milan's Rafael Leao is just as fast, though will set players back around six times as much despite his overall rating being one lower. Lorenzo Insigne comes in third (87 pace), though at 14,250 coins, costs considerably more due to his higher overall rating. For those who have Napoli players elsewhere on the pitch though, he might prove to be the best option.

Strikers

Paolo-Dybala

Best option: Paolo Dybala

Budget option: Luis Muriel

Pace option: Keita Balde

Alternative option: Ciro Immobile

After the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer of 2021, Paolo Dybala is shaping up to be Juventus's main star man for the next couple of seasons. He's a very well-balanced player with 84-rated pace, shooting, and passing stats both graded at 86, and a dribbling rating of 90. At 15,000 coins, he's a must-buy for all players who can afford him, especially considering that Premier League players with similar stats frequently sell for around 50,000.

Those who are just starting out on their journey towards a star-studded Serie A team can't go wrong with Luis Muriel. For just 750 coins, he's a guaranteed goalscorer, with 89 pace, 86 dribbling, and 83-rated shots. Muriel is a great, undervalued footballer, and he might serve FIFA 22 players for much longer than they initially intended. The stats on his Showdown Nominee are actually quite frightening, though getting hold of one of those is much easier said than done.

Cagliari's young Senegalese striker Keita Balde may be the fastest Serie A forward in FIFA 22 thanks to his 91 pace, but his 74 shooting and low overall ratings may be a little off-putting to some despite his card being cheap. For those players, Napoli once again provides a viable option in the form of Victor Osimhen (88 pace), who, at 700 coins, is a real bargain. For those with a little extra cash to splash, his 83-rated inform card can be snapped up for around 24,000 coins and boasts 91 pace as well as 84 shooting. His Europa League Team of the Group Stage card is even better, though players will need to jump through quite a few hoops in order to unlock it.

Having scored 27 goals in the 2021/22 season, Ciro Immobile has managed to claim the title of Serie A's top scorer despite Lazio only finishing the season in fifth place. This speaks volumes of his goalscoring ability, which is reflected by his offensive ratings in FIFA 22. With 87 shooting, 86 pace, and 81 dribbling stats and a 16,500 average price tag, Immobile is one of the most sensible choices for any FIFA 22 FUT Serie A team. Italian football aficionados should get used to playing him in their squad early on, as it's incredibly likely that he will be an important and pricey member of many Serie A team builds in FIFA 23.

FIFA 22 is currently available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, and Nintendo Switch.

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