Matchday 3 TIM 2020-21 2 - 4 October 2020*

* Genoa vs Torino has been postponed 02/10/2020 20:45 - FIORENTINA Vs SAMPDORIA Fiorentina won both Serie A TIM matches last season against Sampdoria, after going winless in their previous seven league games (D5 L2). In each of the last nine Serie A TIM matches between Fiorentina and Sampdoria, both teams have found the net (3.6 goals per game on average). Sampdoria have won only one of their last 14 Serie A TIM away games against Fiorentina (D6 L7), a 2-1victory in August 2017, thanks to Caprari and Quagliarella goals. Fiorentina have won without conceding in each of their last three home league games; the last time the Viola went on a longer such run in Serie A TIM was in October 2015 (six). After losing their opening three Serie A TIM games in 2019/20, Sampdoria have lost both their opening two games this season: only Atalanta (in 1952/53 and 1953/54) and Pro Patria (1948/49 and 1949/50) have lost their first three matches in consecutive Serie A seasons. Fiorentina and Sampdoria are two of the three sides (alongside with Torino) to have lost a game after being in a leading situation in Serie A TIM this season. Excluding the newly-promoted teams, only (22) have conceded fewer goals than Fiorentina (24) in Serie A TIM since has become the new Viola manager. However, in the last match against Inter, the Tuscan side conceded four goals for the first time since the game before the arrival of the current coach (1-4 against Roma, under Montella). Sampdoria have conceded three of their six goals in the first two matchdays this season from a corner situation; however, in 2019/20 in Serie A TIM, the Blucerchiati hadn’t conceded their third goal from a corner until MD9. Since the Serie A TIM restart last June, Giacomo Bonaventura is the Italian player who has delivered the most assists (six) in the Italian top-flight; in general, only Gómez, Calhanoglu and Sánchez (eight each) have delivered more over this period. has scored seven Serie A TIM goals against Fiorentina with Sampdoria, including his only hat-trick with the Liguri in January 2018: against no team he has found the net more times with Sampdoria in the top-flight (seven also against Cagliari).

03/10/2020 15:00 - MAPEI STADIUM SASSUOLO Vs CROTONE Crotone won their last Serie A TIM meeting with Sassuolo, after being winless in their previous three (D1, L2). Among current Serie A TIM sides, Crotone are the only team Sassuolo have a 100% home win record in the Italian top-flight (2/2). Sassuolo have won only one of their last five Serie A TIM home games (D2, L2), a 5-0 win against Genoa in July 2020 - they had won four of their previous six (D1, L1). Crotone have lost 28 of their 39 away games in the Italian top-flight (72%) – among teams with 20+ away games since their debut Serie A TIM season in 2016/17, this is the worst percentage in the competition. Sassuolo have kept a clean sheet only once in their last 15 league games, in a 5-0 win against Genoa last July - the Neroverdi have conceded 1.7 goals on average per game over this period. Crotone have conceded at least two goals in each of their two league games this term, while this run also extends to their last five matches in the competition - they have never previously had a longer such run in the Italian top-flight. Gian Marco Ferrari has played 110 games between Serie A TIM and B with Crotone (scoring four goals) - against Spezia last time out, the Sassuolo defender delivered two assists in a single top-flight game for the first time ever. The Serie A TIM season in which managed to play his most games was the 2013/14 campaign, while playing for Sassuolo - he is the Crotone player with the most successful passes in Serie A TIM this term (122). Simy scored his only previous Serie A TIM brace in April 2018, against Sassuolo – the Neroverdi are the only side against which the Crotone striker has scored more than one goal in the Italian top-flight.

03/10/2020 20:45 - DACIA ARENA - STADIO FRIULI UDINESE Vs ROMA After a streak of 10 consecutive defeats, Udinese have won two of their last four Serie A TIM games against Roma (L2). In seven of the last eight league games between Udinese and Roma, at least one of the two sides has failed to score – the only exception being their meeting played in September 2017, a 3-1 Giallorossi win. Roma have won six of their last seven away games against Udinese in Serie A TIM (L1), including the most recent one (4-0 in October 2019), despite Federico Fazio being sent off after 31 minutes for the Giallorossi. Udinese have lost both of their opening two games in a Serie A TIM season for their first time since the 2017/18 campaign, under - the last time the Friulani lost each of their opening three matches in a top-flight season was in 2010/11 (although they did recover to finish 4th). Considering the 0-3 result awarded against Hellas , Roma interrupted a streak of four consecutive away wins in Serie A TIM, in which they scored at least three goals per game. In eight of the previous nine Serie A TIM seasons, the Giallorossi won at least one of their two opening league away games (with the exception of 2016/17, D1 L1). Roma are still winless in Serie A TIM this season, while only eight times in their history have they failed to win each of their opening three games of a Serie A TIM season, most recently in 2011/12 (D2 L1). played his first 34 Serie A TIM games with Roma, between 2005 and 2010. The Udinese striker has faced the Giallorossi in eight league games, without scoring or delivering an assist in any of them. Among players who have scored 100% of their penalties taken in the last two Serie A TIM seasons, Roma Jordan Veretout has attempted the joint-most spot kicks (six, level with ). Despite Roma striker Edin Dzeko having been involved in six Serie A TIM goals against Udinese (four goals, two assists), he has neither scored or assisted in his two most recent league appearances against the Friulani.

04/10/2020 12:30 - GEWISS STADIUM ATALANTA Vs CAGLIARI Atalanta have lost four of their last six matches against Cagliari in Serie A TIM (W2): the Sardinians have defeated the Bergamaschi the most times in the top-flight since 2017/18. Atalanta kept a clean sheet in their last league game against Cagliari and could collect consecutive shutouts against the Rossoblù for the first time since the 2008/09 season under Luigi Delneri. Cagliari have won their last three Serie A TIM away matches against Atalanta: as many as in their previous 23 (D5 L15). Indeed, the Sardinians have never collected four away wins in a row against a single opponent in the top-flight. This will be Atalanta's home debut in Serie A TIM 2020/21: the Bergamaschi have lost three of their last four home league openers (W1): as many losses as in their previous 22 first home games of the season (W11, D8). could become the first Cagliari manager to fail to win their first three league games with the club since in 2016/17. Atalanta have scored six of their eight goals in Serie A TIM this season during the first half, more than any other side. They have scored four goals in each of their opening two games in a Serie A TIM season for their first time in their history. Atalanta striker Alejandro Gómez has scored three in his 15 Serie A TIM goals appearances against Cagliari: only two players have found the net more times in matches between Atalanta and Cagliari in the competition than the Argentinian: (five) and (four), both with Cagliari. has scored nine goals in his 20 Serie A TIM appearances in 2020. Among the players with more than three appearances in the period in the top-flight, the Atalanta striker is the one with the best minutes/goals average (one every 62 minutes). Giovanni Simeone has scored five goals in his last eight away games in Serie A TIM; however, the Bergamaschi are the team against which he has played the most times in Serie A TIM without scoring (eight).

04/10/2020 15:00 - CIRO VIGORITO BENEVENTO Vs Benevento played their first ever home match in Serie A TIM against Bologna in August 2017, with the match ending in a 1-0 victory for the Rossoblu thanks to a Godfred Donsah goal. Benevento have lost both of their Serie A TIM games against Bologna (0-1 at home and 3-0 away): Bologna are one of the five teams against which Benevento have not scored in their only previous season in the top flight - alongside Fiorentina, Napoli, Atalanta and Torino. Benevento have conceded seven goals in their first two league games, while in their first Serie A TIM season they conceded three - they have scored five league goals this season, an achievement they reached after 12 games in the 2017/18 season. Bologna have lost four consecutive away games in the Italian top-flight and could lose five away games in a row in Serie A TIM for the first time since October 2015. Bologna have not scored a goal in three consecutive away games in Serie A TIM: the last team to have a longer such streak in the competition were SPAL in the first six away games in 2019/20. Bologna have conceded in 35 consecutive Serie A TIM games, a negative record in the competition - in the history of the top-5 European leagues only four teams have had longer such runs: Bordeaux in 1960 (42), Gimnàstic de Tarragona in 1950 (41), Racing Santander in 1960 (39) and Duisburg in 1975 (38). In the summer of 2015, Sinisa Mihajlovic replaced on the Milan bench: Mihajlovic won 50% of matches in all competitions with the Rossoneri (W19 D10 L9), while Inzaghi won 35% of his games with the club (W14 D13 L13). Benevento forward Gianluca Caprari has scored two goals and delivered an assist in his two first league games this season; in his final 12 games with Parma last season he scored two goals in 12 league games. Benevento defender , who found the net on his seasonal debut against Sampdoria, scored his first Serie A TIM goal against Bologna in October 2015, with Carpi. Bologna striker Musa Barrow scored his first Serie A TIM goal against Benevento in April 2018 with Atalanta: in 2020, he has scored nine league goals, more than double that of any other teammate.

04/10/2020 15:00 - OLIMPICO LAZIO Vs INTER Lazio have won two of their last three league matches against Inter (L1), after being winless in their previous five meetings against the Nerazzurri (D1 L4). Lazio, under , have not managed to score a single goal against Inter in Serie A TIM during the encounters in the first half of the season - in four previous meetings they have zero goals scored and seven conceded (D1 L3). Since the 2014/15 season, Inter have won four Serie A TIM away games against Lazio (L2), in this period they have only achieved more away wins against Udinese (five). The last league draw between Nerazzurri and Biancocelesti at the Olimpico was back in March 2008. Lazio have lost 50% (seven) of their last 14 Serie A TIM games (W6 D1) and have conceded at least two goals in each of those seven defeats. Inter have scored nine goals in their opening two games in Serie A TIM this season, the Nerazzurri have never netted more at this stage. The most they have scored after three games of a Serie A TIM campaign is 13 goals, in 1960/61. Since the beginning of 2010, Inter have lost 11 Serie A TIM games at the Olimpico, at least four more than they have managed to lose in any other stadium on the road (Ferraris is ranked second, with seven losses). Lazio manager Simone Inzaghi has lost three home games against Inter in Serie A TIM, versus no other side has he lost on more occasions against in the competition (three also against Napoli and Juventus). Of sides that he has faced at least three times with Lazio in Serie A TIM, Inter are the only one against which has not found the net (excluding penalties) in the Italian top-flight (eight matches). Arturo Vidal has been involved in more Serie A TIM goals against Lazio than any other side (six - four goals, two assists) – in addition, the Olimpico is the only stadium where the Inter midfielder has scored more than one away goal in the Italian top-flight (a brace in April 2013 against the Biancocelesti). Inter striker Romelu Lukaku has played more minutes in Serie A TIM without being involved in a goal against Lazio than versus any other side in the competition (173)

04/10/2020 15:00 - ENNIO TARDINI PARMA Vs HELLAS VERONA Hellas Verona are unbeaten in eight of the last nine Serie A TIM games against Parma (W6 D2) – their only defeat was back in March 2014 (0-2). Parma are unbeaten in six of their eight home Serie A TIM matches against Verona (W3 D3), however Hellas Verona won 1-0 in the most recent fixture at Tardini stadium (October 2019). Since February 2020, Parma have lost seven of their nine Serie A TIM matches at Tardini stadium (W1 D1) - no other team have lost more games on home soil in the period. Parma have conceded in each of their last 16 league games, their longest ever run in Serie A TIM – among current top-flight teams, only Bologna are on a longer streak (35). Hellas Verona have won both of their first two Serie A TIM games for the second time in their history, after 1984/85 (in that case they won the Scudetto, including a win in their third game). Hellas Verona, AC Milan and Napoli are the only three sides yet to concede a goal in Serie A TIM this season – in the last five Serie A TIM campaigns, no team has managed to keep three clean sheets in their first three games of the season. Hellas Verona are the team to have won the fewest corners in Serie A TIM this season (only one) – on the other hand, no team have more corners than Parma (13). Parma’s Jasmin Kurtic has scored two goals in his last four Serie A TIM games against Verona – since 2017/18, only against Bologna (three goals) has he netted more. Hellas Verona are the only team that have fielded three players born after 1/1/2000 in the current Serie A TIM campaign: Ivan Ilic, Matteo Lovato and Ebrima Colley. Antonin Barak’s last goal in Serie A TIM was back in MD38 of last season in a game between Lecce and Parma. He could become the first Czech footballer to score for Hellas Verona in Serie A TIM. 04/10/2020 18:00 - MILAN Vs SPEZIA This is the first fixture in the Italian top-flight between AC Milan and Spezia; the Rossoneri won 3-1 in their only previous game against the Aquilotti in the in January 2014. AC Milan are unbeaten in their last 14 league games against newly-promoted sides (W9 D5). However, each of the last two played at Meazza ended in a draw (2-2 v Lecce in October 2019 and 1-1 v Hellas Verona in February 2020). AC Milan are the only team still unbeaten in Serie A TIM in the post-lockdown (W11 D3); the last time they registered a longer streak without defeat was back in March 2007 (15). AC Milan have netted in 22 league matches in a row; only in 1949 (27) and in 1973 (29) have they scored in more consecutive Serie A TIM games. Prior to Spezia (three points in two league games), the last debuting team to have picked up 3+ points after their first three Serie A TIM matches was Siena in 2003/04. AC Milan could win their first three matches of a Serie A TIM campaign for the second time in 21st century, after 2006/07. AC Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu scored against each of the newly-promoted sides in Serie A TIM last season – however, he failed to net against Crotone in MD2 this season. AC Milan’s Sandro Tonali has been involved in two goals in three matches against Spezia in : an assist in September 2018 and one goal in January 2019. For the second time in his career among Serie A TIM and Serie B, Spezia’s Andrej Galabinov scored in each his first two league games of a season (also in 2015/16 with Novara in Serie B).

04/10/2020 20:45 - ALLIANZ STADIUM JUVENTUS Vs NAPOLI Since 2011/12 season (the first of the consecutive Italian top-flight campaigns won by Juventus), only Roma (five) have won more games than Napoli (four) against the Bianconeri in Serie A TIM. Napoli won their last league match against Juventus, a 2-1 victory last January; the last time the Partenopei won consecutive games against the Bianconeri in Serie A TIM was in January 2011. Juventus and Napoli have both scored in each of their last four league encounters, the last time neither side kept a clean sheet in at least five consecutive Serie A TIM meetings matches was back in 1990. Juventus have won eight of their last nine home games against Napoli in Serie A TIM; the only Bianconeri defeat in this spell came in April 2018, scoring the only goal in the second-half injury time. Juventus are unbeaten in the opening three games of a Serie A TIM season in eight of the previous nine campaigns (from 2011/12), the only exception in this run was in the 2015/16 season, under . Napoli have won their opening two games in Serie A TIM this season without conceding goals, only once have the Partenopei managed to win each of their opening three league games whilst keeping a clean sheet (the 1966/67 season). and played 218 Serie A TIM matches together with AC Milan, recording a win ratio of 60% (131 out of 218): 179 of these games came under , former coach of both teams in this meeting. Juventus striker is the only player to have scored on average more than one goal per game in the Top-5 European leagues in 2020 (24 goals in 21 appearances) among players to have played at least two games in this period. Napoli player Hirving Lozano scored his first Serie A TIM goal on his debut in the Italian top-flight against Juventus in August 2019, becoming the first Napoli player to score on his Serie A TIM debut against the Bianconeri since in September 2000. Matchday 3 Serie A TIM 2020-21 4 Novembre 2020 Genoa vs Torino 04/11/2020 17:00 - LUIGI FERRARIS GENOA Vs TORINO Torino have won their last five Serie A TIM matches against Genoa, equalling their longest winning streak in the competition against the Rossoblu, between 1977 and 1982. Torino have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three Serie A TIM games against Genoa (a record for them against the Liguri). The last side that failed score in in four successive games in the top-flight against the Granata was Padova between 1961 and 1994. Genoa have lost their last three home games against Torino in Serie A TIM having gone unbeaten in each of their 14 previous meetings (W8 D6). The last side to go on a longer winning streak on the road against Genoa in the top-flight was Sampdoria from 2014 to 2017 (five). Genoa have drawn two of their last three league games (L1), as many draws as in their previous 18 Serie A TIM games. Genoa’s last home draw in Serie A TIM came in September 2019 (0-0 against Bologna), winning seven and losing 11 since. Torino have failed to win any of their opening five games in a Serie A TIM season for the first time since 2007/08. Torino are just the second side in Serie A TIM history to have scored at least 10 goals in the opening five games of a season without winning any of those games, after Triestina in 1940/41. has won six of his 13 Serie A TIM matches as a manager against Genoa (D3 L4): his joint-most in the top-flight. could become the first player to score in each of his first two Serie A TIM starts with Genoa since Krzysztof Piatek, in August 2018. has scored the joint-most goals (six) for Torino after the first five games in a Serie A TIM season (alongside Nestor Combin in 1967/68, in 1947/48 and in 1931/32); the last Granata player to score at least seven goals in the opening six matches of a Serie A TIM season was , in 1975/76.