Matchday 15 TIM 2020-21 3 January 2021 03/01/2021 12:30 - INTER Vs CROTONE Inter have found the net in each of their four Serie A TIM meetings against Crotone, scoring seven times (W2 D1 L1). Inter are unbeaten at home against Crotone in Serie A TIM, thanks to a win in 2016 and a draw in 2018. Inter are unbeaten in Serie A TIM against promoted sides since September 2018; since then, they have won 11 and drawn two such games. AC and Inter are in the top-two of the Serie A TIM table for the first time since the end of the 2010/11 campaign (minimum 14 games played). Inter have won their last four Serie A TIM home games; they last won five in a row in a single campaign in December 2018 under (seven). Inter are unbeaten in their last 10 first league matches of a calendar year played at home (W7 D3): they have never lost such a match in the three points for a win era – their last defeat was back in 1994, against Atalanta. Crotone have gained seven points in their last four Serie A TIM games, one more than in their previous 14. Inter have scored in the second half of their last nine Serie A TIM matches; they last scored in more successive second halves in November 2012 (10). This could be Romelu Lukaku’s 50th Serie A TIM appearances. Only five players have scored more goals than the Inter’s striker (34) in their first 50 games played in the competition in the three points for a win era: (40), Ronaldo (38), Shevchenko (37), (37) and (36). Junior Messias is the top scorer for Crotone in Serie A TIM this season (five goals) – however, he has scored only once on the road (two home braces): he is the fourth Crotone player to have 2+ goals in two games in the competition and could become the first one to have three.

03/01/2021 15:00 - GEWISS STADIUM ATALANTA Vs SASSUOLO Atalanta have won all their six encounters against Sassuolo in Serie A TIM, scoring 22 goals in this run (3.7 on average). Atalanta have won all their last three home games in Serie A TIM vs Sassuolo after having won only one of the four previous (D2 L1) - however, the Nerazzurri have always conceded at home against Neroverdi: among sides faced 7+ times away from home by Sassuolo, Atalanta are one of the two teams (alongside Lazio) against whom the Neroverdi have always found the back of the net. After having won three games in a row, Atalanta have won only three of their last 10 top-flight games (D4 L3); in the same period, Sassuolo have picked up 6 points more than the Nerazzurri (19 v 13). Atalanta have won their last two home Serie A TIM games, scoring seven goals in this run, having one more win and scoring the same of goals in their previous five. Atalanta have won their first match of the calendar year in all of the last four campaigns, never managing to win five in a row; on the other hand, Sassuolo have won only once in eight seasons in their first match of the year (D3 L4). Sassuolo are currently fourth in the Serie A TIM table: after 14+ games played in a single top-flight season, the Neroverdi never managed a better position than 6th after MD38 in 2015/16. Sassuolo have won seven of their first 14 Serie A TIM games so far, their record at this point of the season in the top-flight, while the 26 points picked up are a record for the Neroverdi after 14 games played. Sassuolo are unbeaten in their last seven Serie A TIM matches away from home (W5 D2), already their longest unbeaten run away from home in the top-flight; the only side from Emilia to have a longer run in the three points for a win era was back in 2014 (eight). Duván Zapata has scored seven goals in 10 appearances against Sassuolo in Serie A TIM, the most he’s netted against a single opponent. (13 goals, 11 assists) is one of the two players, along with (13G, 10A), who has scored 10+ goals and provided 10+ assists in Serie A TIM in 2020.

03/01/2021 15:00 - SARDEGNA ARENA CAGLIARI Vs NAPOLI Cagliari have won only one of their last 20 Serie A TIM games vs Napoli (D5 L14).

Cagliari have lost all of their last five home games in Serie A TIM vs Napoli without scoring in this run: this is their longest scoreless home run against a single side in the top-flight. has lost six of his first 14 managerial games with Cagliari in Serie A TIM: if they lose, only Ballardini and Ventura (both eight) would have more defeats with Cagliari in their first 15 top-flight games in the three points per win era. Cagliari are winless in their last three home Serie A TIM games (D2 L1), after having won three of the previous four (L1). Napoli have earned only one point in their last three Serie A TIM games (D1 L2): the last time they had a 4+ games winless run in the top-flight was back in December 2019 (eight in a row). Napoli have lost their last two away matches in Serie A TIM without scoring: the last time the Azzurri lost three in a row in the top-flight was back in April 2016 and the last time they had run of three games away from home without scoring was in February 2019. Napoli have lost their first game played in 2020, 1-3 v Inter, after winning their first calendar year matches in the previous eight seasons between 2012 and 2019. Napoli have conceded the joint-fewest goals from outside the box in the current Serie A TIM season (one) and they also managed to score the most goals from outside (seven - they had 10 in the 2019/20 campaign). The only hat-trick scored by Giovanni Simeone in Serie A TIM was against Napoli, back in April 2018 with Fiorentina. Napoli have only won 22.2% (2/9) of the Serie A TIM games played without Dries Mertens over the last two seasons - the managed to win 57.1% (24/42) with the Belgian forward on the pitch.

03/01/2021 15:00 - ARTEMIO FRANCHI FIORENTINA Vs Fiorentina are unbeaten in Serie A TIM vs Bologna since 2013 – since then Viola have eight wins and four draws, with eight clean sheets - since 2013/14, among sides faced 7+ times, Bologna are the only team against whom Fiorentina have never lost. Fiorentina have kept a clean sheet in seven of their last eight home games in Serie A TIM against Bologna, conceding only one in this run - since 2011/12, Fiorentina have only conceded fewer goals against SPAL and Livorno (zero). Fiorentina have won keeping a clean sheet in their last Serie A TIM game: the last time they managed back-to-back clean sheet was in July and they can win two games in a row for the first time this season. Fiorentina have drawn 1-1 in their last three Serie A TIM home games: the last time they had 4+ home draws in a row in the top-flight was back in March 2019 (five). Bologna have drawn their last three Serie A TIM games for the first time since October 2016 and the last time they had four in a row was back in April 2013. Bologna have won only one of their last 11 Serie A TIM away games: since 10th July only Crotone, Brescia and SPAL (zero), who have played fewer games, have won fewer away games than the Rossoblù in the top-flight. In the first game of the year, Fiorentina have been unbeaten since 2015, when they lost against Parma: since then, the Viola have two wins followed by three draws. Bologna have conceded 27 goals in their first 14 league games: 1955/56 was the last time they conceded as many goals at this stage - their record after 15 games is 29 goals conceded (1949/50 and 1955/56). Fiorentina Giacomo Bonaventura has scored four goals against Bologna in Serie A TIM, only against Napoli (five) has he scored more. All of Bologna's four wins this season have come with Riccardo Orsolini on the pitch: the points average with him featuring goes from 0.5 to 1.3 - in the last seven appearances the Rossoblù winger has scored two goals and provided two assists.

03/01/2021 15:00 - LUIGI FERRARIS Vs LAZIO After a run of eight wins against Lazio in Serie A TIM between 2011 and 2015, Genoa have only won twice in their last 10 games against the Biancocelesti (D2 L6). Genoa have lost two of their last three home league games against Lazio (W1), despite scoring two goals scored in each of those encounters. previously the Rossoblù remained unbeaten for seven home games in a row (W4 D3). Genoa won their last league game after a series of four draws and eight defeats - the Rossoblù have not yet gained points for two straight games in Serie A TIM this season. Genoa have failed to win in their last six Serie A TIM home games (D1 L5), with at least two goals conceded in each game - the last time the Rossoblù failed to win seven home games was in 2017, when they reached eight. Lazio have conceded 23 goals in their first 14 league games this season, the Biancocelesti haven't let in as many at this point of the season since 1983/84 (26) - with Inzaghi they never finished a season with a worse average of goals conceded (1.64). Lazio lost their last away game in the league and have not recorded two consecutive away defeats in the competition since September 2019. Genoa forward Mattia Destro has scored three goals in his last three league games, as many goals as he has scored in the previous 25 appearances. , who scored five goals in 33 appearances for Genoa in Serie A TIM, scored nine goals against the Rossoblù, only against Sampdoria (12) has he scored more - Luigi Ferraris is the stadium where he has scored more away goals in Serie A TIM (nine). Stefan Radu (318) could equal Aldo Puccinelli (319 games with the Biancocelesti in the top-flight) as the player with the most appearances in the history of Lazio in Serie A TIM.

03/01/2021 15:00 - ENNIO TARDINI PARMA Vs TORINO Parma are unbeaten in Serie A TIM against Torino since their return in the top-flight in 2018/19: two wins and two draws in this period. Torino have won only one of their last eight away games in Serie A TIM against Parma (D1 L6): a 2-0 win in March 2015, with goals from Maxi López and Migjen Basha. Parma have lost their last two league games and could record at least three consecutive Serie A TIM defeats for the first time since July (four). In the last three seasons Parma have never won in Serie A TIM against an opponent who started the matchday in last place in the standings: two draws and two defeats. No team has scored fewer goals (13) than Parma in Serie A TIM this season: the last time the Gialloblù had scored so few goals at this point in the competition was in 2010/11. Torino have eight points in the first 14 games of Serie A TIM this season: only two of the previous 26 teams with eight or fewer points at this point in the competition (in the three points per win era) have avoided relegation, Reggina in 2002/03 and Crotone in 2016/17. Torino have lost 23 points from winning positions in Serie A TIM this season, more than any other team in the top-5 : in 2019/20, Brescia set the record in the three-point era (34) and after 14 games they had lost only nine. Parma are the only team in this Serie A TIM season yet to concede a goal in the first 15 minutes of play; however, the Gialloblù conceded eight goals in the following 15 minutes, more than any other side. Parma striker has scored four goals in Serie A TIM this season and could become the first player to score at least five goals for three straight seasons in Serie A TIM with Parma since Marco Di Vaio between 1999/00 and 2001/02. In the three games played by Armando Izzo as a starter in Serie A TIM this season, Torino have conceded an average of one goal against 2.6 in the other 11 games. 03/01/2021 15:00 - OLIMPICO ROMA Vs SAMPDORIA AS Roma are unbeaten in their last four Serie A TIM meetings against Sampdoria (W3 D1) and could record a longer run without a defeat against them for the first time since December 2009 (nine). The last Serie A TIM draw between AS Roma and Sampdoria in Lazio was back in September 2012: since then, five wins for the Giallorossi and two defeats. AS Roma are unbeaten in their first 10 home games in all competitions (W7 D3) for the first time since the 2013/14 campaign. Sampdoria have won three of their first seven Serie A TIM away matches (D1 L3) this season: they last won four of their first eight in the competition in 2004/05. AS Roma and Sampdoria are two of the three sides to have gained the most points in the first half of this Serie A TIM campaign (30 AS Roma – level with AC Milan – 24 Sampdoria). has managed 73 Serie A TIM games for AS Roma (W41 D18 L14), with a winr rate of 56.2%: has recorded a 56.9% of wins in 51 games (W29 D10 L12). AS Roma’s midfielder scored his first Serie A TIM goal in December 2015 for Sassuolo against Sampdoria – he is the third youngest player to have scored and delivered an assist in Serie A TIM in each of the last five campaigns (behind and Franck Kessié). Edin Dzeko has found the net in five of his first 11 Serie A TIM appearances: since he joined AS Roma, only in the 2016/17 campaign has he scored more (seven games with a goal), his most prolific season (29 goals in 27 matches). Sampdoria’s has scored four goals in 23 Serie A TIM meetings against AS Roma: among the teams faced more than 20 times in the top-flight, only against AC Milan has he scored fewer (two goals in 27 matches).

03/01/2021 15:00 - ALBERTO PICCO SPEZIA Vs HELLAS VERONA Verona have won four of their last five meetings against Spezia in all competitions (L1), each of them in between 2013 and 2019. Spezia have lost their last four home matches against Verona (one in , three in Serie B), after having won the previous seven. Spezia have lost their last two league games (v Inter and Genoa) and could lose three in a row for the first time in the top-flight. Verona are unbeaten in their last five Serie A TIM away matches (W2 D3) – they could record a longer such run in the top-flight for the first time since September 2000 (eight). Verona have lost only one of their first six Serie A TIM away games (W2 D3), their best start to a campaign on the road since 1984/85, when they went on to eventually lift the trophy. Spezia have shipped at least two goals in each of their last six Serie A TIM matches - the last side to conce 2+ goals in seven top-flight games in a row was SPAL in July 2020 (eight). Verona (11) and Spezia (nine, alongside AC Milan) are two of the three sides to have hit the woodwork the most in Serie A TIM this season. Spezia and Verona are two of the three sides (level with Fiorentina) yet to score from outside the box in the Serie A TIM 2020/21. Spezia’s striker M'Bala Nzola has scored seven goals in his first 10 Serie A TIM appearances - the last debutants to have scored 7+ goals in their first 10 top-flight matches were Krzysztof Piatek (nine in 2018/19), Cristiano Ronaldo (seven in 2018/19) and Romelu Lukaku (seven in 2019/20). Among the goalkeepers with at least five Serie A TIM appearances this season, Verona’s Marco Silvestri is the one with the highest save percentage (76.7%).

03/01/2021 18:00 - CIRO VIGORITO BENEVENTO Vs MILAN Benevento won their very first Serie A TIM point against AC Milan in December 2017, thanks to a 2-2 draw (after 14 successive defeats). Benevento won their last Serie A TIM home game against Genoa and could win two in a row for only the second time in their top-flight history (after January 2018, against Chievo and Sampdoria). AC Milan are unbeaten in their last 14 Serie A TIM away matches (W10 D4), their longest run since April 2004. In 2020, AC Milan have only lost one league match on the road, only in 1992 and 1964 have they done better. AC Milan are unbeaten in nine games when playing their first calendar year Serie A TIM match away from home (W8 D1); their last such defeat was back in 1997 (0-3 v Lazio). AC Milan and Benevento are the two sides with the best points increment between two successive Serie A TIM appearances after 14 games (Benevento +18 than 2017/18 and AC Milan +17 than 2019/20 – three points/win era). No promoted team with at least 18 points from their first 14 Serie A TIM games have been relegated at the end of the season during the three points for a win era. AC Milan have scored the most headed goals (seven) in Serie A TIM this season, whilst only Crotone (zero) have scored fewer than Benevento (one). Benevento boss , who played more Serie A TIM games for AC Milan (202) than any other side, drew 0-0 in his only previous meeting against the Rossoneri as a coach - in December 2018 with Bologna. Benevento’s striker made his Serie A TIM debut with AC Milan, scoring eight goals in 27 matches in 2016/17; he is goalless in his last eight league appearances after having scored in five of the previous eight. AC Milan’s striker Ante Rebic has scored three Serie A TIM goals against promoted teams, the last against Lecce in June 2020: after his goal against Lazio last time out, he could find the net in two league games in a row for the first time since July (v Lazio and Juventus).

03/01/2021 20:45 - ALLIANZ STADIUM JUVENTUS Vs UDINESE After a run of five wins against Udinese in Serie A TIM, Juventus lost their most recent match in July - the Friulians have not had two wins in a row against the current Italian champions since 1962. Juventus have won their last four Serie A TIM home games against Udinese and could make it three points in five consecutive home games against the Friulians for the first time since 2005/06. Juventus have found the net in each of their last nine Serie A TIM games against Udinese; indeed, the last time the Friulians kept a clean sheet against Juve was in August 2015 with Orestis Karnezis as goalkeeper. Juventus have recorded six draws in Serie A TIM this season after 13 games played - the last time the Bianconeri drew so many of their first 13 games was in 2001/02, when they went on to win the . Juventus have not found a home win in Serie A TIM in their last two games (D1 L1), last going without a win in three straight games at home during the first three matches of the 2015/16 campaign with in charge. After losing their first two away games in Serie A TIM this season against Verona and Fiorentina, Udinese are unbeaten in the last four (W2 D2), last enjoying a longer such run back in January 2018. Among all teams within the top five European leagues this season, Udinese boast the lowest Expected Goals against figure (10). 2021 will be the 20th calendar year that will see Cristiano Ronaldo take the field - the Juventus star has found the net in six of his previous 19 opening matches to a calendar year with clubs, including a hat-trick in 2020 against Cagliari in Serie A TIM. Cristiano Ronaldo's next strike will be his 20th goal of the season for both Juventus and , reaching at least this tally for the 15th season in a row.