Matchday 14 TIM 2020-21 22 - 23 December 2020 22/12/2020 18:30 - EZIO SCIDA CROTONE Vs PARMA This will be the first encounter between Crotone and Parma in Serie A TIM, or .

Crotone are unbeaten in their last four matches against teams they have never faced in Serie A TIM before (W2 D2), winning as many games as in the previous 19 such matches (D3 L14). Crotone have only won one of their last 16 Serie A TIM games, with that win coming against Spezia on MD11 this season (4-1), with a further four draws and 11 defeats. Crotone won their last home league match 4-1 against Spezia – they have only won two home games in a row in Serie A TIM once before (out of 44 encounters played at the Scida), under Davide Nicola in May 2017 (2). Parma have failed to score in their last two Serie A TIM games, last going three games without a goal in November 2018 (3). Parma have won four points in their last two away games in Serie A TIM, scoring twice in each: they last scored 2+ goals in three consecutive matches on the road in the top-flight back in February 2014. Parma have won 12 points so far – the last time they earned 12 points or fewer at this stage of the season they were relegated (six points in 2014-15). Jasmin Kurtic is the only current Parma to have scored a goal against Crotone in Serie A TIM, doing so with Atalanta in September 2016. Only Ronaldo and Veretout (four each) have scored more penalty goals than Simy (3) in Serie A TIM this term: the Nigerian has scored three of his four goals from the penalty spot this season. has not found the net in any of his last eight Serie A TIM matches against newly promoted teams, last scoring against a such side in March 2019, against Empoli.

22/12/2020 20:45 - ALLIANZ STADIUM JUVENTUS Vs FIORENTINA Juventus are the side against which Fiorentina have lost the most games (78) and conceded the most goals (266) in Serie A TIM. On the other hand, only against AC Milan (54) have the Bianconeri drawn more top-flight meetings than against the Viola (51). Juventus have won five of their last six Serie A TIM meetings against Fiorentina (D1), keeping a clean sheet five times – in their top-flight history, only against Inter (62) have they kept more clean sheets than against the Viola (58). Juventus have found the net in their last 34 Serie A TIM home games against Fiorentina - this is a record at home for a team against a single side in the competition. After the 4-0 win against Parma the last time out, Juventus could keep a clean sheet in two successive Serie A TIM matches for the first time since June. Fiorentina are winless in the last eight Serie A TIM matches: they last recorded a longer such run in the competition in September 2019 (18). Fiorentina have failed to score in their last four Serie A TIM away games: only three times in their top-flight history have they recorded a longer run without a goal on the road: in 2004 (7), 1948 (7) and 1936 (6). After Bayer Leverkusen’s defeat on Saturday against Bayern Munich, Juventus are one of the two sides without a single defeat in Europe’s top five leagues in 2020/21 (the other being AC Milan). Juventus’ has scored 33 Serie A TIM goals in 2020 – only two players in the history of the competition have scored more league goals in a single calendar year (Borel, 41 in 1933 and Nordahl, 36 in 1950). Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo has scored three Serie A TIM goals against Fiorentina, all from the penalty spot – against no other side has he scored more penalty goals in the Italian top-flight (level with Genoa). José Callejón has been involved in five goals in his last five Serie A TIM meetings against Juventus (one goal and four assists) - however, the Spaniard is yet to score or assist a single league goal for Fiorentina.

23/12/2020 18:30 - MARCANTONIO BENTEGODI HELLAS VERONA Vs INTER Inter are the side against which Hellas Verona have their lowest percentage of games won in Serie A TIM: 7%, four wins in 58 meetings (min. 10 matches). Hellas Verona are winless in their last 18 matches against Inter in Serie A TIM (D4 L14), their last league victory against the Nerazzurri was back in 1992. The Gialloblù have never suffered a longer such streak against a single opponent in the top-flight. Inter have won six of their last nine away games against Hellas Verona in Serie A TIM (D3), scoring 20 goals in this period (an average of 2.2 per match). Hellas Verona have picked up only one point in their last three Serie A TIM home games (D1 L2): the last time they failed to wn four home games in a row in Serie A TIM was back in September 2019 (six in that case, D2 L4). Inter have won their last six Serie A TIM games - the last time the Nerazzurri enjoyed seven consecutive league victories in a single campaign was back in November 2018, under Luciano Spalletti. With 32 goals in their opening 13 Serie A TIM games this season, Inter have scored their most goals at this stage since 2009/10. With two or more goals in this match, it would be their best start since 1960/61, when they netted 34 goals after 14 games. Inter's last seven Serie A TIM goals were all scored in the second half, three of them coming from Romelu Lukaku. Inter's Ivan Perisic has been involved in six goals in his last three Serie A TIM matches against Hellas Verona, thanks to three goals and three assists. Hellas Verona’s Eddie Salcedo (a former Inter Primavera player) is the only player born since 2001 to have more than 20 Serie A TIM appearances (27 in total for him). Inter striker Romelu Lukaku is one of three players in the top five European leagues to have scored every penalty they have taken since the start of last season, along Jordan Veretout and Mikel Oyarzabal (min. nine penalty shots).

23/12/2020 20:45 - RENATO DALL'ARA BOLOGNA Vs ATALANTA Atalanta have won 35 Serie A TIM matches against Bologna (D26 L37), only against Lazio (36) have they collected more wins in the top-flight. Atalanta have won eight of their last nine Serie A TIM games against Bologna (L1), keeping a clean sheet five times across these matches. Bologna have drawn their last two league games and could draw three matches in a row in the competition for the first time since October 2016. Bologna are one of two teams (level with Napoli) to have not yet drawn at home in Serie A TIM this season (W3 L3) - the last season in which the Rossoblù have not drawn any of their first seven seasonal home games in the competition was back in 2002/03 (seven wins in that case). Atalanta are one of three sides, as well as Udinese and Benevento, to have not conceded a second half goal so far in December. The Bergamaschi have faced only 12 shots in the second half this month (behind only Napoli, 11). Atalanta are unbeaten in their last five games in all competitions for the first time in this season (W3 D2). The Dea have found the net 10 times and conceded three goals in this period. Atalanta have only lost two of their last 31 Serie A TIM away games (W18 D11), however, one of those was against Bologna at Dall'Ara (1-2 in December 2019). Roberto Soriano has scored six goals in Serie A TIM this season, already his most in a single season in the competition since 2015/16 (eight with Sampdoria). Emanuel Vignato (born in August 2000) is the youngest player to have scored at least one goal and provided at least one assist in Serie A TIM this campaign. Atalanta’s Josip Ilicic has scored seven goals against Bologna in Serie A TIM, his most against any opponent in the competition.

23/12/2020 20:45 - MILAN Vs LAZIO Lazio have lost 66 matches against AC Milan in Serie A TIM (W29 D59), only against Juventus (82) have the Biancocelesti suffered more defeats in the Italian top-flight. On the other hand, AC Milan have drawn more Serie A TIM games against Lazio (59) than against any other side. AC Milan have scored in their last 16 league games against Lazio, only against Cagliari are the Rossoneri on a longer such streak (21), among current Serie A TIM teams. AC Milan are unbeaten in 29 of their last 30 home games against Lazio in Serie A TIM (W18 D11), their only defeat in this period was in their most recent meeting at (November 2019) - the Biancocelesti have never won two away matches in a row against the Rossoneri in the Italian top-flight. AC Milan have earned nine wins and four draws in their first 13 Serie A TIM games this season: no unbeaten side in the opening 13 games of a season have ever finished the campaign outside the top four positions in the history of Serie A TIM (since 1929/30). Lazio have picked up 10 points in their last four Serie A TIM away games (3W D1): since the start of November only AC Milan (2.6) have averaged more points than the Biancocelesti (2.5) away from home in the Italian top-flight. AC Milan have scored 2+ goals in each of their last 15 Serie A TIM games and could become only the second team in the history of the Top-5 European leagues to enjoy 16 consecutive games with more than one goal scored in a single calendar year (after 18 of Barcelona in 1948). AC Milan have scored the most goals from set pieces in Serie A TIM this season (10), whilst they’ve also conceded the highest percentage of their goals from such situations in 2020-21 (57%, eight out of 14). AC Milan striker Rafael Leão is the youngest player in the Top-5 European leagues to have scored at least three goals in each of the last three seasons, and the only one born after 1/1/1999. Since 2017/18 - the season he joined the Rossoneri - AC Milan have only played eight Serie A TIM matches without Frank Kessiè: two wins, two draws and four defeats (25%-win rate without the Ivorian player, whilst their win percentage is 52.5% with him on the pitch). Lazio’s has scored 12 goals in 13 appearances in all competitions since the start of October: only Lewandowski (19), Haaland (14), Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo (13 each) have netted more among the top-5 European Leagues.

23/12/2020 20:45 - DIEGO ARMANDO MARADONA NAPOLI Vs TORINO Napoli are unbeaten in their last 10 Serie A TIM matches against Torino: the Granata’s last win was back in March 2015, 1-0 thanks to Kamil Glik's goal from corner. Torino's last win at Napoli in Serie A TIM was under Giancarlo Camolese; that game was also the coach's last win as the Granata boss in Serie A TIM, in May 2009. Napoli have lost consecutive league games for the first time since January (three in a row).

Napoli have drawn only one of their last 19 Serie A TIM home games (2-2 against AC Milan in July) - two of The Partenopei's last eight home draws in the competition have come against Torino. Torino have won just one of their opening 13 Serie A TIM games this season, their fewest victories at this stage of a campaign in their history in the competition. Napoli have conceded the fewest first half goals in the league this season (4) although two of them have come in their last three games in the competition. Torino have dropped 21 points from winning positions in Serie A TIM this campaign: at least five more than any other side in the Top-5 European leagues in 2020/21. Giampaolo's average points (0.54 per match) is the worst for a Torino manager in Serie A TIM with at least 10 games played in the era of three points per win. The Granata coach has lost six of his last seven league games against Napoli (W1). has been directly involved in 10 goals against Torino in Serie A TIM (five goals and five assists): a record for the Napoli striker against a single opponent in the competition (level with Fiorentina). has scored nine goals in the league this season: he can become the third player in Torino history to reach double figures in six different Serie A TIM seasons, after (seven) and (six). 23/12/2020 20:45 - OLIMPICO ROMA Vs CAGLIARI Roma are unbeaten in their last 12 Serie A TIM matches against Cagliari (W8 D4), with their last defeat against them dating back to February 2013, 2-4 at the Olimpico. Roma have lost only one of their 10 Serie A TIM matches against Cagliari played in December (the first one, back in 1967) – six victories and three draws since then. Since the start of 1970s, Cagliari have won only twice away from home against Roma, in 2011 and 2013, indeed; Cagliari have drawn 15 and lost 18 matches against Roma on the road in this period in the top-flight. Roma have only won two of their last five games in Serie A TIM (D1 L2), having won five of the previous six (D1). Roma have not lost their final league match of the calendar year since 2008 in Serie A TIM, against Catania: nine wins and two draws since then. Cagliari have drawn four of their last five league games (L1), having drawn only once in their previous eight matches in Serie A TIM this term, on MD1 against Sassuolo. Cagliari’s coach, Eusebio Di Francesco, was previously in charge of Roma for 64 games in Serie A TIM: Roma are the side Di Francesco has faced the most without winning in the top-flight during his managerial career (D3 L6). Only two have at least six goals and six assists provided in the top-5 European Leagues in 2020-21: Roma’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan (7 goals, 6 assists) and Marseille’s Florian Thauvin (6 goals, 6 assists). Cagliari forward, João Pedro, has scored three goals in his last two games against Roma (scoring three of Cagliari’s last four goals against the Giallorossi), having failed to score in each of his previous six games against them. The last Cagliari player before Charalampos Lykogiannis to have scored at least two goals from direct free-kick in a single Serie A TIM season was in 2016-17 - while Daniele Conti is the last one to have scored three such goals, in 2013-14.

23/12/2020 20:45 - LUIGI FERRARIS SAMPDORIA Vs SASSUOLO Sassuolo have only lost three of their 14 Serie A TIM meetings against Sampdoria, winning six times and drawing five. Sampdoria have failed to score in their last three Serie A TIM games against Sassuolo: only on three previous occasions have they recorded a longer such run against a single opponent (the most recent time was in the 1980s against Inter). Sampdoria have conceded goal in each of their last nine league games: they last had a longer such run in the competition in September 2017 (13). After the 3-1 win against Crotone the last time out, Sampdoria could win two league home games in a row only for the second time in 2020 (against SPAL and Cagliari in July). After the 1-2 defeat against AC Milan, Sassuolo could lose two successive Serie A TIM matches for the first time since last July. Sassuolo have conceded the highest percentage of goals in the first 15 minutes of play in Serie A TIM this season (27% - 4/15). Sampdoria have conceded only one in the same period (only Parma have done better, zero). has only faced Sassuolo twice as a manager in Serie A TIM, with Roma and Sampdoria: both games ended nil-nil. Sampdoria’s striker has been involved in six goals in 12 Serie A TIM meetings against Sassuolo (four goals, two assists) - three of them came in his last three games against the Neroverdi. Sampdoria’s Mikkel Damsgaard (July 2000) is the fifth youngest player to have both scored and assisted at least two goals in the Top-5 European Leagues in 2020/21. Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi has scored six Serie A TIM goals against Sampdoria, thanks to two hat-tricks – among the current players, he has scored the most hat-tricks against the Blucerchiati in the competition.

23/12/2020 20:45 - ALBERTO PICCO SPEZIA Vs GENOA In seven previous encounters between Spezia and Genoa amongst Coppa Italia and Serie B, both teams have found the net, with Genoa winning four games and drawing twice (L1). This will be the fourth different derby of Liguria for Genoa in Serie A TIM: they won their first games against Sampierdarenese and Liguria, after having lost their first encounter against Sampdoria in the top-flight (0-3 in November 1946). After the defeat against Benevento last time out in Serie A TIM, Genoa could lose two consecutive games against newly promoted sides in a single top-flight season for the first time since April 2016 (v Carpi and Bologna). Spezia have kept a clean sheet on three occasions in Serie A TIM this term, while conceding 2+ goals in the other 10 matches this season: no side has managed a higher such tally in the top-5 European leagues in 2020-21. No side has won fewer points than Spezia at home in Serie A TIM this term: three (D3), alongside Torino. Genoa have won none of their last 12 Serie A TIM matches, last failing to win for more consecutive games in the top-flight in the 2011-12 season, between February and April 2012 (14). No team has conceded more goals from set-piece situations than Spezia (10, alongside Sampdoria) in Serie A TIM this term, while Genoa are the only side yet to score a single such goal so far in the competition Davide Ballardini will come back on Genoa’s bench for the fourth time in his managerial career; Ballardini was in charge of Genoa for 78 Serie A TIM games so far, with an average points ratio of 1.38 (only Gasperini (232) has coached Genoa for more Serie A TIM games in the Preziosi’s era). In his previous period on Genoa’s bench, Ballardini coached Pandev, Criscito, Marchetti, Destro, Perin, Sturaro, Biraschi, Brlek and Zima, while he also coached Goldaniga when he was in charge of Palermo. Diego Farias of Spezia has scored three goals against Genoa in Serie A TIM, each in home games (with Cagliari), including his first goal in the competition (November 2014).

23/12/2020 20:45 - DACIA ARENA - STADIO FRIULI UDINESE Vs BENEVENTO Udinese are unbeaten against Benevento in Serie A TIM, thanks to a 2-0 win in December 2017 and a 3-3 draw in April 2018. Udinese have not won any of their last nine Serie A TIM games played on Wednesday (D2 L7) - their latest success on this day of the week was Antonin Barak's 1-0 win against Sassuolo in October 2017. Benevento have lost four of their five Serie A TIM games played on Wednesday; however they secured their biggest victory in the top-flight in the other one (3-0 against Verona in April 2018). Udinese are unbeaten in six Serie A TIM games (W3 D3): the Bianconeri have not been unbeaten for seven games in a row in the competition since January 2018. After the win against Genoa on the last matchday, Benevento could win two Serie A TIM games in a row for the second time in their history (vs Chievo and Sampdoria in 2017/18). No team has scored fewer goals in the first 30 minutes of play than Benevento (two) and Udinese (three) in this Serie A TIM season - the Giallorossi have also conceded the most goals in this period (10). No team has scored more goals than Benevento from corners (five), while Udinese are one of five teams that have not yet conceded from this situation. Udinese striker Kevin Lasagna has not found the net in 14 meetings against newly promoted teams in the top-flight since his brace in April 2018 against Benevento. Benevento are the team against which Kevin Lasagna has his best goals-per-game average in Serie A TIM (three goals in two meetings) - moreover, against no other team has the Udinese forward scored more in the top-flight. In the last league game Marco Sau found the net, he had gone more than two years without a goal in Serie A TIM: the last time the Benevento striker found the net for two appearances in a row in competition was in May 2017 (with Cagliari).