Sassuolo defender Tarik Muharemovic has picked Scott McTominay as the toughest opponent faced in Serie A, recalling how the Napoli midfielder "made my head spin" during the clubs’ meeting on the opening day of the 2025-26 season, when the Scotland international scored first in a 2-0 win for the defending Italian champions.
McTominay joined Napoli at the beginning of last season and has quickly become one of Serie A’s standout figures. The 29-year-old was named the league’s most valuable player after that debut campaign, having scored 12 goals in the Italian top flight, earned a place in the Serie A Team of the Year, and collected the Footballer of the Year prize.
This season, McTominay’s scoring numbers are lower, with two goals so far, but the
midfielder has also supplied two assists. Among players in similar roles, McTominay has taken 32 shots, the second-highest total for a midfielder, with only Nico Paz attempting more. Those displays left a strong impression on Muharemovic, who is experiencing Serie A for the first time with Sassuolo.
| Season | Competition | Goals | Assists | Notable honours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Serie A | 12 | - | MVP, Team of the Year, Footballer of the Year |
| 2025-26 | Serie A | 2 | 2 | Second-most shots among midfielders |
Reflecting on that opening fixture against Napoli, Muharemovic highlighted McTominay’s unusual profile and movement. "He's not a striker, and I faced him on Matchday one. He really made my head spin. I'm talking about Napoli's McTominay, Muharemovic, who is playing his first season in Serie A, said. " The defender explained how difficult it was to track the Scotland international throughout the match.
Muharemovic added further detail about McTominay’s display and also mentioned other forward threats. "He was popping up all over the pitch; he was truly everywhere. One moment, he was wide; the next one, he scored a header right inside the box, beating me to it. Then there are Lautaro [Martinez] and [Marcus] Thuram [of Inter], but I haven't faced them yet. " McTominay now targets more silverware, hoping to guide Antonio Conte’s Napoli to the Supercoppa Italiana title against Bologna on Monday.
