Matchday 12 TIM 2020-21 15 - 17 December 2020 15/12/2020 18:30 - DACIA ARENA - UDINESE Vs CROTONE Udinese and Crotone have never drawn a Serie A TIM meeting: Udinese have won the two matches played in the first half of the season whilst the Rossoblu have won the two in the second half. The last Serie A TIM meeting between Udinese and Crotone dated back in 2018, a 2-1 Crotone win thanks to Simy and Faraoni’s goal – that was the last Rossoblu away win in the top-flight. After five successive wins, Udinese have only won one of their last eight Serie A TIM home matches against promoted teams (D3 L4), losing their last two – they last lost three such games in a row in 2008 (six). Crotone have picked up one point away from home in Serie A TIM this season, only Sheffield United have had fewer (0) in the Top-5 European Leagues 2020/21. Against Spezia last time out, Crotone found their first Serie A TIM win since April 2018 (three draws and 10 defeats since); on that occasion, they had won two games in a row, one of them against Udinese. Udinese have won only one of their 12 Serie A TIM matches on Tuesday (D2 L9), a 1-0 win against Genoa in September 2013, thanks to an ’s goal from a direct set-piece. has delivered an assist in each of his last three Serie A TIM matches (four in total): the last Udinese player to record an assist in four successive top-flight league games was Antonio Di Natale, in October 2007. Crotone are one of the two sides (with Benevento) against which Udinese’s Kevin Lasagna has always found the net in the Serie A TIM: one goal in both his meetings against them in the 2017/18 campaign. The first of the ’s 15 Serie A TIM goals came against Crotone (for in September 2016). The Udinese striker has scored two goals in two games against them, only against Sampdoria has netted more in the competition (3 goals). Simy found the net in his last visit to the Dacia Arena in Serie A TIM (April 2018) – he is close to scoring his 50th goal for Crotone in all competitions. However, he has failed to find the net in his last five league appearances, his longest drought in the competition since April 2018 (12). 15/12/2020 20:45 - CIRO VIGORITO BENEVENTO Vs LAZIO Lazio have won both of their Serie A TIM meetings against Benevento, scoring 11 goals: they are the side which has scored the most goals per game on average (5.5) against them in the competition. Lazio were the first team to score at least five goals at Benevento in the Serie A TIM (1-5 in October 2017): they have scored more away goals in single away matches in the competition only twice, against Pescara in 2017 and Palermo in 1957 (six goals). Benevento drew their last Serie A TIM home game against Juventus: only twice (January and May 2018) have they gone unbeaten in two successive home top-flight games. Benevento have only scored twice in their last five league games, failing to find the net in their last two: they last went three in a row without scoring in the Serie A TIM in February 2018. Lazio have won 10 of their last 11 Serie A TIM away matches against promoted sides (L1), scoring 29 goals in the process (2.6 per game on average). Lazio have gained 17 points so far: only once in their previous 10 Serie A TIM campaigns had they collected fewer at this stage of the competition (15 in 2013/14). Lazio have conceded 19 goals so far: in their previous 48 Serie A TIM seasons they have never shipped more after 11 games – they last conceded more in 1960/61 (20). Benevento and Lazio have both scored five goals in the first half in Serie A TIM this season, only netting more than Genoa (4); they have conceded 12 in the same period, fewer only than (13) and Crotone (15). Kamil Glik’s first Serie A TIM goal came against Lazio in October 2012 for Torino – the Benevento’s defender has scored two goals against them, his favourite opponent in the competition level with Genoa. Benevento are the side against which Lazio’s has been involved in the most goals per minutes played: three goals and three assists in 164 minutes, a goal or assist every 27 minutes on average.

16/12/2020 18:30 - ALLIANZ STADIUM JUVENTUS Vs ATALANTA Since joined Atalanta, Juventus are the only side that the Bergamaschi have faced 2+ times and never won in Serie A TIM (D5 L3). Juventus are unbeaten in their last 23 Serie A TIM home meetings against Atalanta (W18 D5): Atalanta’s last win was back in October 1989, 0-1 thanks to Claudio Caniggia’s goal. Juventus have found the net in their last 35 Serie A TIM games against Atalanta (78 total goals), the last Atalanta keeper to keep a clean sheet was Davide Pinato in January 1997: this is the longest run for Juventus against a single opponent in the competition. Juventus have won their last four games in all competitions and could win five in a row for the first time since January 2020. Juventus have failed to win four of their last seven Serie A TIM games played on a Wednesday (D3 L1), after having won nine successive such matches. Atalanta have had 11 scorers in Serie A TIM this season, more than any other team in the current league. Since November 2020, only Bayer Leverkusen (32 goals in 10 games) have scored more than Juventus (25 in 10 games) in all competitions among the teams of the Top-5 European Leagues. Among the 10 players in the Top-5 European Leagues with 12+ goals in all competitions, Juventus’ (14 goals) has played the fewest games (11, at least two less than any other). Two of the three players to have scored the most goals from outside the box in Serie A TIM in the last two campaigns (2019/20 - 2020/21) play for Atalanta: seven goals for Ruslan Malinovskiy and Luis Muriel ( the other). After having failed to score in his first five Serie A TIM meetings against Juventus, Duván Zapata has scored five goals in his last six league matches against them – only against Sassuolo has he scored more in the competition (seven).

16/12/2020 20:45 - FIORENTINA Vs SASSUOLO Sassuolo have won three of the last five Serie A TIM meetings against Fiorentina (D1 L1), after having won only one of the previous nine such matches (D3 L5). Sassuolo have won their last two Serie A TIM away matches against Fiorentina: the last side to win on the road in three successive seasons against Fiorentina was Lazio between 2013/14 and 2015/16. could become the fifth Fiorentina’s manager in the three points for a win era to fail to win each of his first five games in a single spell, after in 2002, in 2002, in 2005 and in 2019. Sassuolo could remain unbeaten for six successive away matches for the first time in his Serie A TIM history (W4 D1). Since November, Fiorentina have collected two points, the lowest tally in this period with Genoa and Sampdoria. Sassuolo have kept the most clean sheets in the Top-5 European Leagues since November (five in six games). Fiorentina have scored 11 goals in their first 11 Serie A TIM games, their lowest tally at this stage of the competition since 2014/15 (10). Sassuolo are the only Serie A TIM side against which José Callejón has scored with his right-foot (2), left-foot (1) and head (1). Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi has scored six Serie A TIM goals against Fiorentina, five of them on the road - against no other side has he scored more away goals in the competitions (level with Lazio).

16/12/2020 20:45 - LUIGI FERRARIS GENOA Vs Genoa won their last Serie A TIM meeting against Milan in March and could win two in a row against them in the competition for the first time since 2015, under Gian Piero Gasperini (three in a row). The last Serie A TIM draw between Milan and Genoa in Liguria was back in February 2011, with Ballardini and Allegri managers – since then three wins for the Rossoblu and six for the Rossoneri. Genoa have won six points so far: they have never collected fewer at this stage of the competition in the three points for a win era (also six in the 2017/18 campaign). Genoa have lost their last five Serie A TIM matches, their longest losing run at home in the competition. AC Milan are the only side unbeaten in the Top-5 European Leagues since the restart after lockdown last May (G23, W17, D6). Milan have won their last seven Serie A TIM away matches, only once have they won more in a row in their Serie A TIM history: nine between 1992 and 1993. AC Milan are the only side in Serie A TIM history to have scored 2+ goals in each of their first 11 games. Genoa’s has scored three Serie A TIM goals against Milan, including one in the most recent meeting, in March 2020 – that Milan’s last defeat in the competition. The only goal scored by Milan’s in the Serie A TIM came at the Ferraris against Genoa, for Brescia in October 2019. Milan’s striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been involved in five goals (two goals, three assists) in his four Serie A TIM matches against Genoa at the Ferraris.

16/12/2020 20:45 - MARCANTONIO BENTEGODI HELLAS Vs SAMPDORIA Sampdoria won their most recent Serie A TIM game against Verona with on the bench: the last Sampdoria coach to win two games in a row against the Gialloblù in the top-flight was Sinisa Mihajlovic in 2014. Verona gained three points in their most recent home game against Sampdoria in October 2019 and could record two consecutive home wins against the Blucerchiati in Serie A TIM for the first time since November 1975. Verona have kept a clean sheet in each of their last two Serie A TIM home games against Sampdoria: the last team to remain without a goal for three straight away games at Gialloblù's home in the top-flight was Piacenza between the 1997 and 2002. Verona have lost just two of their 11 games in Serie A TIM this season (W5 D4), in their previous 29 Serie A TIM seasons they have only done better at this point on one occasion: in 1984/85 with (unbeaten), the season of their Scudetto. Sampdoria have conceded exactly two goals in each of their last five Serie A TIM games and could ship two or more goals in six in a row for the first time since February 2016 (seven games - the longest such run for the Blucerchiati in Serie A TIM). Only Rennes (12) have hit the woodwork on more occasions than Verona (11) in the top-5 European Leagues this season. Only Torino (five goals) have conceded more goals than Sampdoria (four) from substitutes in Serie A TIM this season, including each of the last three: one against Milan and two against Napoli. No team has conceded fewer goals in the first half than Verona during Serie A TIM this season (three), whilst only Genoa (four) have scored fewer than the Gialloblù (five). Among goalkeepers with at least 35 appearances in the last two seasons, only Jan Oblak (79.6%) and Thibaut Courtois (76.5%) have recorded a better save percentage than Verona’s (75.4%) in the top-5 European Leagues. Sampdoria’s : has been involved in six goals in nine Serie A TIM meetings against Verona (three goals, three assists), including scoring in his last game against the Gialloblù in the competition, in July 2020 at Bentegodi (with Inter). 16/12/2020 20:45 - INTER Vs NAPOLI Inter won both league games against Napoli last season: could become the second coach in history to win his first three Serie A TIM matches as Nerazzurri boss against the Partenopei, after between 1952 and 1953. Inter have scored in their last four Serie A TIM meetings against Napoli, having failed to net in their previous four: this is their longest streak since 2000 when they scored in eight games in a row in the competition against the Azzurri. Napoli have not found the net in their last three away games against Inter in Serie A TIM: the last team to keep a clean sheet in four consecutive home games against the Partenopei were Catania between 1961 and 2008 (six games). Inter could win five matches in a row in a single Serie A TIM season for the first time since December 2019. Napoli have scored 26 goals in Serie A TIM this season: only in 2017/18 (32) and in 1957/58 (30) did they score more in their first 11 Serie A TIM matchdays. Considering one game was awarded as a defeat due to covid, they only scored more after 10 league games in 2017/18 (29) and in 1957/58 (27). Only Manchester United (15) have earned more points than Inter (10) from losing positions this season in the top-5 European Leagues. Only Harry Kane (10) has recorded more assists than Napoli forward (six) in the top-5 European Leagues this season. Two of the five goals scored as a substitute by Lautaro Martínez have been against Napoli; the Inter forward also scored the last goal of the match in three of the four games he played against the Partenopei in the competition. Matteo Politano has scored five of his 30 Serie A TIM goals with Inter (all in 2018/19). The Napoli striker has scored three league goals at , more away goals than in any other stadium.

16/12/2020 20:45 - ENNIO TARDINI Vs CAGLIARI Parma have only won one of their last eight games against Cagliari in Serie A TIM (D3 L4) after winning the previous three; in these last eight games, the Rossoblù have kept four clean sheets. Cagliari gained three points in the away match against Parma last season and could win two straight away matches in Serie A TIM against them for the first time since January 2011. Parma have lost only one of their last seven Serie A TIM games (W1 D5), having lost three of their first four this season (W1). Parma have drawn their last three Serie A TIM home games - they have never registered four consecutive home draws in the competition. Cagliari have only won two of their last 20 Serie A TIM away games, recording 10 defeats in the process (D8). Cagliari have scored 18 goals in Serie A TIM this season, only twice in their history they have done better after the first 11 Serie A TIM matches of the season: 19 in 2016/17 and 26 in 1968/69. Cagliari have conceded the most goals from outside the box in Serie A TIM this season (six) - the last one, however, was that of Musa Barrow on 31st October. Roberto Inglese hasn't scored in six Serie A TIM appearances and could match his longest drought in the top-flight with Parma: seven games between February and March 2019. With his goal against Inter in the last fixture, Riccardo Sottil (born in June 1999) became the second youngest Italian to score at least two goals in this Serie A TIM season, after Tommaso Pobega (July 1999). Among the teams currently in Serie A TIM, Parma are the one against Cagliari striker has his best goal average in the top-flight, with three goals scored in 184 minutes (one every 61 minutes).

16/12/2020 20:45 - ALBERTO PICCO SPEZIA Vs Spezia have won just one of their previous six meetings against Bologna (D2 L3), 2-0 in February 2007. These two teams will compete in the league for the first time since April 2015, a match ending nil-nil in Serie B. Spezia are, with Torino, one of the two teams that have not yet won at home in this Serie A TIM season: two draws and three defeats so far. Bologna have lost seven of their last eight Serie A TIM away games (W1) - the win came against a Ligurian side (2-1 v Sampdoria in November). Bologna are one of the two teams that have not yet drawn in Serie A TIM this season (with Napoli) - while only Juventus and Parma (five) have recorded more draws than Spezia in this league (four). Spezia have conceded at least two goals in eight of their 11 matches in Serie A TIM this season, no team has done so more often this term. Considering the first 15 minutes of the two halves, Spezia have conceded 12 goals in this league campaign (six and six), at least four more than the other Serie A TIM team. Bologna have conceded 22 goals in the first 11 games of this Serie A TIM season, equalling their worst record of goals conceded at this point of a season (as many as in 1949/50, 1997/98 and 2013/14). No team has scored (2) or conceded (2) more own goals in Serie A TIM this season than Bologna, with Bologna both benefitting from and conceding an own goal in their 1-5 loss to Roma last time out. In just eight appearances in 2020-21, Diego Farias has equalled his tally of goals from the last Serie A TIM campaign (2 in 18 appearances for Lecce). The Spezia striker can score in two straight league games for the first time since May 2019 (with Empoli). Roberto Soriano is Bologna's top scorer in this Serie A TIM (five goals), although none of his goals have arrived away from home.

17/12/2020 20:45 - OLIMPICO ROMA Vs TORINO After drawing both games 1-1 in the 2015 calendar year, Roma and Torino have not recorded a draw in any of their last nine Serie A TIM matches in a draw: seven wins for the Giallorossi and two for the Granata. After a streak of nine straight defeats away against Roma in Serie A TIM, Torino won last season's match in January: the last time the Granata achieved two consecutive away wins against the Giallorossi in the top-flight came back in 1969. Roma have not scored in two of their last eight league games but have netted at least twice in the other six (21 goals, 2.7 on average). Roma could keep a clean sheet in four straight Serie A TIM home games for the first time since November 2014 - on the other side, they could also fail to score for two consecutive league matches at home for the first time since May 2007. Torino have conceded at least two goals in 19 games in 2020: only in 2017 (20) have they had more such games. Torino have conceded the most in this Serie A TIM season (27 goals): each of the last three teams with at least 27 goals conceded after the first 11 Serie A TIM matches of the season finished bottom of the table at the end of the campaign. has lost seven of his first 11 Serie A TIM games with Torino, a joint-negative record for a Granata in the three points per win era (like Moreno Longo, who also was defeated in the 12th game). With his goal against Bologna in the last round, Edin Dzeko reached 82 goals with Roma in Serie A TIM, just one goal away from becoming the fourth highest scorer for the club in the competition (Montella, 83). Among the players with more than six goals in the top-5 European leagues, Torino forward is the one who has scored the fewest times away from home (1/8). Among the players with more than five goals in the Italian top-flight in the three points era, only Nicolás López (75%) has scored more a higher share of his goals as a substitute in Serie A TIM than Torino forward (71.4%: five out of seven).