Matchday 31 TIM 2020-21 17 - 18 April 2021 17/04/2021 15:00 - EZIO SCIDA CROTONE Vs UDINESE Crotone and Udinese are equally matched in their previous five Serie A TIM meetings, with two wins each and one draw; indeed, only against Chievo (3) have Crotone won more games in the top-flight than against Udinese (2). Crotone have won their two matches against Udinese in Serie A TIM in the second half of the season: 1-0 on MD36 in 2016-17 and 2-1 on MD34 in 2017-18. Crotone have lost 14 of their 16 Serie A TIM games in 2021, at least two more defeats than any other team in the top five European Leagues in this period. Udinese have lost each of their last three games in Serie A TIM, last losing more consecutive matches back in October 2018 under Julio Velázquez (4). Since Serse Cosm took charge, Crotone have scored 14 goals in six games in Serie A TIM, only fewer than Juventus, Napoli and Atalanta (16 each) – nonetheless, Crotone are the side with the fewest points earned in this period in the competition (3). No team has scored more goals than Udinese via crosses since the start of February in Serie A TIM (five). Udinese have only scored 32 goals so far this season, although they should have scored almost 10 goals more based on the quality of their shots (41.7 xG), the highest such difference amongst sides in Serie A this term. Crotone striker Simy has found the net in each of his last six league games: the last African player to score in more consecutive appearances in the top five European Leagues was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with Borussia Dortmund in 2015 (10). Udinese Rodrigo de Paul is yet to score or deliver an assist in his four games against Crotone in Serie A TIM: he has never faced a side in more matches in the competition without being involved in at least one goal.

17/04/2021 15:00 - LUIGI FERRARIS SAMPDORIA Vs HELLAS VERONA Sampdoria have won seven of their last 10 matches against Verona in Serie A TIM (D2 L1), including the last two under (both by 2-1 score). Verona have only won one of their 24 away games in Serie A TIM against Sampdoria - 1-0 in December 1972, courtesy of Roberto Mazzanti’s goal. Verona haven’t won any of their 12 away games in Serie A TIM played at Ferraris against and Sampdoria in the three points per win era (D3 L9); in the same period (since 1994-95), only at (19) they have played more matches on the road without ever winning a game in the competition. Sampdoria have lost seven of their last 10 league games against sides starting the day in the top half of the table (W2 D1), though one of the three times they avoided defeat was against Verona (2-1 in December 2020). Should they win, Verona would equal their highest tally of away wins in a single Serie A TIM season, achieved in 1984-85 and 2013-14 (6). Sampdoria have made 469 crosses from open play in Serie A TIM this term, more than any other side. Only 15.6% of those crosses were successful, the lowest ratio in the competition. Verona have conceded 20% (7/35) of their goals in Serie A TIM this term due to shots from outside the box, the highest such ratio in the competition. has been involved in six goals in Serie A TIM in 2021 (4 goals, 2 assists), at least two more than any other Sampdoria player in this period. Ivan Ilic of Verona (22 games) and Mikkel Damsgaard of Sampdoria (28 games) are two of the four youngest players to have played at least 20 games in Serie A TIM this term, alongside Torino’s Singo (21) and Bologna’s Vignato (25). Antonin Barak has scored seven goals so far this season (including four in 2021) - only two foreign players have scored more goals for Verona in a single top-flight season in the 21st century: Juan Iturbe (8 in 2013-14) and Adrian Mutu (12 in 2001-02).

17/04/2021 18:00 - MAPEI STADIUM SASSUOLO Vs FIORENTINA Sassuolo have won four of their 15 Serie A TIM matches against Fiorentina (D5 L6), with each of these wins coming in the second half of the season. Three of Sassuolo's last five home games against Fiorentina in Serie A TIM have ended level (one win for both sides). Sassuolo won their last league match against Benevento: the Neroverdi could win two consecutive Serie A TIM games for the first time since October 2020 (three in that case). Sassuolo have both scored and conceded goals in each of their last eight home league games, drawing four games in this period (W2 L2). Fiorentina have won only one of their last eight Serie A TIM games under (D3 L4) - 3-2 against Udinese in October 2020. Fiorentina have picked up five points in five away Serie A TIM matches in the second half of this season, as many as in the entire first half of the season on the road (nine games). Fiorentina have picked up only 30 points after 30 Serie A TIM matches in a season for the first time since 2001-02, when they were relegated at the end of the season (22 in that case). Sassuolo’s Giacomo Raspadori (nine) and Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic (26) are two of three strikers born after 1/1/2000 with at least five games started in Serie A TIM this season – the other being Spezia’s Piccoli (six). Fiorentina's Dusan Vlahovic has netted 15 goals in the current league season; in the history of Serie A TIM, only three foreign players have scored more goals in a single season before turning 22 years old - Harald Nielsen in 1962-63 (19), Ronaldo in 1997-98 (25) and Mirko Vucinic in 2004-05 (19).

17/04/2021 20:45 - SARDEGNA ARENA Vs PARMA Cagliari have only lost one of their last nine Serie A TIM matches against Parma (W4 D4) - their only defeat in the period was in September 2018 (0-2), with goals from Roberto Inglese and . Cagliari have achieved nine wins in 17 home games against Parma in Serie A TIM in the three points for a win era (since 1994-95 - D5 L3) - in this period they have won more home games only against Sampdoria (10). Cagliari have won each of their last four Serie A TIM games against sides that started the matchday in the bottom three positions in the standings, while Parma have lost three of their last four matches against such opponents (W1). Since Roberto D’Aversa's return, Parma have drawn four of their six away league matches (L2), including each of their last three - the last time they drew four away games in a row in Serie A TIM was back in January 1996. Cagliari (eight) and Parma (six, level with Benevento and Bologna) are two of the four sides that have failed to score in the most matches in Serie A TIM in 2021. Cagliari (9.3%) and Parma (9.5%) are two of the four sides with the lowest shot conversion rate in Serie A TIM this season, the othering being Udinese (9.3%) and Benevento (9.4%). Parma's last six Serie A TIM goals have been netted by six different players, with three courtesy of new signings (Mihaila, Pellè and Man). Parma are the side, among those currently in Serie A TIM, against which Cagliari’s Leonardo Pavoletti has the best mins/goal ratio, averaging one goal every 61 minutes played in the competition against them (a total of three goals in 184 minutes). Parma’s Andreas Cornelius (55, level with Llorente) and Cagliari’s Leonardo Pavoletti (48, alongside Vlahovic) are two of the four forwards that have won the most aerial duels in 2021 in Serie A TIM. Jarmin Kurtic has scored in each of his last two away matches in Serie A TIM - the last Parma player to score in more away games in a row in the top-flight was in April 2004 (six in a row).

18/04/2021 12:30 - MILAN Vs GENOA AC Milan have won four of their last six league matches against Genoa (D1 L1), drawing the most recent game 2-2; the last time the Grifone avoided defeat in both Serie A TIM matches in a season against the Rossoneri was back in 2014-15 under . AC Milan have failed to win four of their last seven home games against Genoa in Serie A TIM (D2 L2), losing the most recent such game (1-2 in March 2020) - only between 1930 and 1931 have the Grifone won two away matches in a row against the Rossoneri in the top-flight (their first two fixtures). Genoa are one of only two sides against which 's AC Milan haven’t yet won in Serie A TIM (D1 L1) – level with Atalanta. In 2021, only Benevento, Cagliari, Parma and Torino have won fewer home matches than AC Milan in Serie A TIM (W2 D2 L4 for the Rossoneri). AC Milan have conceded 21 goals in 15 home games in the current league season; in their history in Serie A TIM only twice previously have they conceded as many goals at this point of the season in home games: 22 in 1932-33 and 27 in 1941-42. After winning five of their first eight games in the current league season under Ballardini (D2 L1), Genoa have won only one of their last nine Serie A TIM matches (D5 L3). AC Milan have scored the most goals (six) in injury time in Serie A TIM this season - on the other hand, Genoa have conceded only one goal after the 90th minute, more than only Fiorentina and the Rossoneri (both zero). Theo Hernández has been directly involved in nine goals in the current league season (four goals, five assists), equalling the previous campaign - he could become the first AC Milan defender to be involved in 10 goals in a single Serie A TIM campaign since Opta collected assists for the competition (2004-05 onwards). Since his Serie A TIM debut in 2019-20 Rafael Leão has scored five goals as a substitute in the top-flight, more than any other AC Milan player - followed by Ante Rebic (four). 's next game will mark his 150th Serie A TIM appearance with Genoa: since his debut with the club in August 2015, he is the player with the most appearances for the club in the top-flight (followed by Mattia Perin at 125).

18/04/2021 15:00 - GEWISS STADIUM ATALANTA Vs JUVENTUS Atalanta’s last win against Juventus in Serie A TIM came back in February 2001 (a 2-1 thanks to the goals of Lorenzi and Ventola): since then, the Bianconeri have won 24 of the 32 games between the two side, drawing eight. Juventus have won only one of their last six games against Atalanta across all competitions, in November 2019 at Bergamo (D4 L1). Juventus have scored at least two goals in each of their last seven away games against Atalanta in Serie A TIM, winning four and drawing three (each with a 2-2 scoreline). Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini averages 0.59 Serie A TIM points per game against Juventus (in 22 games: W2 D7 L13), his worst tally against a single opponent he has faced at least three times in the competition. In the 18 seasons where Juventus have collected at least 60 points (currently 62) from the opening 30 Serie A TIM games of a season in the three points for a win era (since 1994/95), they have always finished in the top three of the table. Atalanta average 2.27 points per game in the second half of this Serie A TIM season (W8 D1 L2), their best average under Gasperini in the second half of a Serie A campaign. The last two goals Juventus have conceded in Serie A TIM have come between the 46th and the 60th minute of play, while Atalanta have scored the most league goals during period (14 goals). Atalanta’s Duván Zapata – who has scored four goals in his last three Serie A TIM appearances – has netted seven goals in his last eight games played against Juventus across all competitions. Federico Chiesa has been involved in a goal in each of his last three Serie A TIM appearances against Atalanta (two goals, one assist); in addition, he scored his first league goal with Juventus against them in the reverse fixture this season. Atalanta's Ruslan Malinovskyi has provided five assists in his last three Serie A TIM appearances; only Filip Kostic (10), (7) and Aleksandr Golovin (7) have provided more assists than the Ukrainian player (6) among the in the top-5 European leagues in 2021 (this calendar year). 18/04/2021 15:00 - RENATO DALL'ARA BOLOGNA Vs SPEZIA Bologna and Spezia have already met twice in this season so far: excluding the extra time in match (won 4-2 by The Liguri), both games in regular time ended 2-2. Bologna and Spezia have played five games in Emilia between and Coppa Italia: three wins for The Rossoblù and one for The Liguri (2-4), in the Coppa Italia in November 2020 (D1). Bologna have lost four of their last six league games (W2), as many as in their previous 14 (W3, D7). Bologna have failed to score in their last two league games – they last went three league games without a goal in December 2018 under . Spezia have not repeated the same result in consecutive matches across their last nine games (W3, D2, L4). Spezia have scored each of their last 13 Serie A TIM goals in the second half of matches; the last side to go on a longer such run (of second half goals) was Bologna: 21 goals in 2019 (a Serie A TIM record). The last time Bologna conceded a second half goal in Serie A TIM was in March against Napoli (since then The Rossoblù have conceded their last five goals in the first half). The only player to have found the net in both matches between Bologna and Spezia this season is Musa Barrow, who also missed a penalty in the reverse fixture. Since February, only two Italian midfielders have scored three goals in Serie A TIM: (Bologna) and Giulio Maggiore (Spezia). M'Bala Nzola's most recent Serie A TIM brace came in the reverse fixture against Bologna: The Spezia striker has scored nine goals in his first 13 top-flight appearances, however he has failed to score in his last seven games in the competition.

18/04/2021 15:00 - OLIMPICO LAZIO Vs BENEVENTO Lazio have won two of their three Serie A TIM games against Benevento (D1), with both sides scoring in each game (16 goals in total: 5.3 on average). Only against AS Roma (14 in four games) and Inter (13 in four games), have Benevento conceded more goals in Serie A TIM than against Lazio (12 in three matches). Only Inter (2.56) and Atalanta (2.29) have averaged more points per game than Lazio in Serie A TIM in 2021 (2.27). Only Napoli (two) and Crotone (three) have drawn fewer games than Lazio (four) in Serie A TIM this season: one of these four draws, however, arrived in the reverse match against Benevento. Benevento are unbeaten in their last two away Serie A TIM games (W1 D1): the Giallorossi have never gone three consecutive away matches without defeat in the Italian top-flight. Only Schalke 04 (five) have conceded more own goals than Benevento (four) in the top-5 European leagues this season. Since 2016/17, only Napoli (28) have scored more 90th minute goals in Serie A TIM than Lazio (26 goals for the Biancocelesti, including Milinkovic-Savic goal last time out against Verona). Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has been involved in 15 league goals this sason (seven goals, eight assists): his joint best tally in a single Serie A TIM campaign (15 also in 2017/18). From matchday 22 onwards, Lazio’s is the striker that has played the most minutes in Serie A TIM (616) without scoring. Benevento’s Gianluca Lapadula has netted only one goal in his last 23 Serie A TIM matches, after scoring 12 in the previous 23 appearances in the competition; the last time he played at the Olimpico against Lazio he scored (November 2019, with Lecce).

18/04/2021 18:00 - OLIMPICO GRANDE TORINO TORINO Vs ROMA AS Roma have won seven of their last eight Serie A TIM games against Torino (L1), scoring at least three goals in five of those matches. In the era of President Cairo, only against Juventus (17 in 22 games) have Torino registered more defeats in Serie A TIM than against AS Roma (16 in 23 matches). AS Roma have won each of their last three away Serie A TIM games against Torino; they have never won four consecutive matches on the road against the Granata in the top-flight. Torino have averaged 1.27 points per game under Davide Nicola (14 points in 11 games), the 10th most in the division during this period - under previous manager Giampaolo they averaged 0.72 points per game this campaign. AS Roma last went three consecutive Serie A TIM games without defeat in January (a draw and a win in the most two recent league games). Torino have drawn the joint-most home matches in the top-5 European leagues this season: 8/14. The last side to draw 9+ of their first 15 home games in a Serie A TIM season was Perugia, 10 in 2003/04. Only Crotone (15.8) and Parma (13.6) have a higher difference between goals conceded and Expected Goals against than AS Roma (7.3) in Serie A TIM this season: the Giallorossi have conceded 41 goals with an xG against of 33.7. Torino’s has scored six goals in Serie A TIM against Roma, including three in his last three games: five of his six goals against the Giallorossi, however, have been netted at the Olimpico Stadium in Rome. AS Roma’s Edin Dzeko and Borja Mayoral have scored seven Serie A TIM goals each this season, with the Bosnian playing 259 minutes more than the Spaniard.

18/04/2021 20:45 - DIEGO ARMANDO MARADONA NAPOLI Vs INTER Inter have won each of their three Serie A TIM games against Napoli under : the last time the Nerazzurri won four consecutive league encounters against the Partenopei was back in 2000 (6). Inter won their last away league game against Napoli, after a winless streak of 13 games on the road against them in Serie A TIM (D4 L9): the Nerazzurri could win back-to-back away Serie A TIM matches against Napoli for their first time since 1997. Among the sides he has faced more than once in Serie A TIM, Napoli manager has his lowest average points per game tally against Inter (0.17 per match: D1 L5). Among the coaches he has faced more than once, Antonio Conte is one of the two managers (along Allegri) against whom Gattuso has always lost (3/3). Inter have won each of their last 11 Serie A TIM games: only the Nerazzurri (17 under Mancini in 2006/07) and Juventus (three times: 12 in 2013/14 under Conte; 15 in 2015/16 and 12 in 2017/18 in Allegri) have enjoyed a longer such run in a single Serie A TIM season. This is only the fifth time that Napoli have won at least 19 of their opening 30 Serie A TIM games of a season: on the previous four occasions, they have ended the season in the top three of the table. Inter (34) and Napoli (31) have scored the most goals in the last 30 minutes of play in Serie A TIM this term; in addition, the Nerazzurri (19) and the Partenopei (16) have scored the most Serie A TIM goals this season between the 61st and 75th minute on play. Among the sides currently sitting in the top seven of the Serie A TIM table, Inter have the lowest possession rate (51.5%) and have recorded the fewest successful dribbles (220). Among strikers with 5+ Serie A TIM goals this season, only has played fewer games as a starter (eight) than Victor Osimhen (nine): the Napoli forward has found the net in each of his last two league starts. Six of the eight goals scored by Inter against Napoli in Serie A TIM since 2016/17 have been netted by Lautaro Martínez (three goals) or Romelu Lukaku (three goals, including one in the reverse fixture this season). Inter’s Lautaro Martínez is one of only five strikers to have played each of the opening 30 Serie A TIM matches this season, along with Gyasi, Simy, Barrow and João Pedro.