Matchday 25 TIM 2020-21 2 - 4 March 2021 02/03/2021 18:30 - OLIMPICO LAZIO Vs TORINO Lazio have won their last three Serie A TIM meetings against Torino and could win four in a row for the first time in the competition. Torino have only won one of their last 16 Serie A TIM away matches against Lazio: 3-1 under Sinisa Mihajlovic in December 2017. Lazio have lost two of their last three league games (W1), as many as they had in the previous 12 (W8 D2). Lazio have kept a clean sheet in their last two Serie A TIM home matches and could go for three in a row for the first time since October 2015 (four under ). is the third Torino manager to remain unbeaten in his first five Serie A TIM games with the club in the three points for a win era, after and (both lost their sixth match). After the game against , Torino could win two Serie A TIM away matches in a row for the first time since November 2019. Lazio’s Luis Alberto has created the most chances (45) among those players who are yet to deliver an assist in Serie A TIM this season. (27 goals in 47 Serie A TIM matches for Torino) has scored seven goals against the Granata in the top-flight, including five in his last four meetings. This will be the 10th Serie A TIM meeting between Immobile and Belotti, with Immobile scoring seven goals in the process (only three for Belotti). Torino’s striker is the second-highest scorer in the history of Serie A TIM considering only games played between Monday and Friday: he has scored 30 such goals, only has more (33).

02/03/2021 20:45 - ALLIANZ STADIUM JUVENTUS Vs SPEZIA The 4-1 win in the reverse fixture was Juventus’ first win against Spezia in three meetings in all competitions: one draw and one defeat previously, both in the 2006/07 . Juventus have won 21 of their last 23 Serie A TIM home matches against promoted sides (D2), keeping 14 clean sheets in the process. Juventus have only won one of their last five games in all competitions (D2 L2), after having won each of the previous six. Juventus have won their last five Serie A TIM home matches, scoring at least two goals in each of them (14 total in the process) and keeping a clean sheet in the most recent three. Spezia lost their last away league game - only once have they lost two such matches in a row, last December. Only Inter (14) have gained more points from trailing situations than Spezia (nine) in Serie A TIM this season, seven of those came in away matches (joint-most alongside Benevento). Juventus have conceded the fewest Serie A TIM goals in the second half this season (10), whilst Spezia have conceded the most in the same partial (29). Juventus’ (19 goals so far) could become the first player in the Top-5 European Leagues to score 20 goals in each of the last 12 campaigns. Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in nine of his 10 Serie A TIM meetings against promoted sides (13 total goals) – only against in his first such match (September 2018) has he failed to find the net. Spezia have scored their seven Serie A TIM away goals in 2021 with seven different goalscorers: Nzola, Pobega, Piccoli, Farias, Verde, Erlic and Gyasi.

03/03/2021 18:30 - MAPEI STADIUM SASSUOLO Vs NAPOLI In the reverse fixture this season, Sassuolo won only their second Serie A TIM match against Napoli, after a win in August 2015 – Napoli failed to score against Sassuolo last November for the first time in Serie A TIM. Napoli have found the net in each of their seven Serie A TIM matches against Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium, winning three of those games (D3 L1). Sassuolo have found the net in their last 13 Serie A TIM games (a record for the club in the competition) – the last side from Emilia-Romagna to have a longer run was Parma in 2003 (14 in a row). Sassuolo are winless in their last three Serie A TIM home matches (D2 L1); last failing to win in four games in a row in March 2019. In 2021, only Atalanta (11) have scored more Serie A TIM away goals than Napoli (10) – however, the Azzurri have earned only six points in those five games. Napoli have lost their last three Serie A TIM away matches: they last lost four such games in a row in April 2015. Napoli are one of two sides (alongside Juventus) to have conceded the fewest set-piece goals in Serie A TIM this season (five), with Sassuolo shipping just seven themselves. Sassuolo striker Gregoire Defrel has scored five Serie A TIM goals against Napoli, more than against any other opponent. Napoli earn 2.1 points per game on average (71%-win rate) in Serie A TIM this season with on the field and 1.4 points per game (44%-win rate) in the nine matches without him. Napoli’s Matteo Politano made his first 96 Serie A TIM appearances and scored his first 20 Serie A TIM goals for Sassuolo: he has failed to have a hand in any goal in his five league games against the Neroverdi in the competition.

03/03/2021 20:45 - GEWISS STADIUM ATALANTA Vs CROTONE Atalanta are unbeaten against Crotone in Serie A TIM, thanks to four wins and one draw - they have scored 12 goals in the process (2.4 per game on average). Atalanta have won both their Serie A TIM home matches against Crotone, with an aggregate score of 6-1. Atalanta have only lost one of their last 26 Serie A TIM meetings against promoted sides (2-3 v Empoli in November 2018): 20 wins in the process (three vs Crotone). Atalanta could win four matches in a row for the first time in the current Serie A TIM campaign; they last did that in July 2020 (nine in a row back then). Atalanta have conceded 2+ goals in each of their last three Serie A TIM home matches: only in the 1940s have they had a longer such run (four). Crotone have picked up the fewest points away from home in the Top-5 European Leagues in 2020/21 (two points in 12 games). Only AS Roma (29) have scored more first half goals in Serie A than Atalanta (25) so far this term - on the other side, Crotone have conceded the most goals in the same period (32). Atalanta’s striker Luis Muriel has been involved in 19 league goals this season (15 goals, four assists), equalling his best tally in a single Serie A TIM campaign (18 goals and one assist in 2019/20). After having failed to find the net in 10 successive Serie A TIM matches against promoted sides, Atalanta’s Luis Muriel has scored five goals in his last five such matches. Crotone’s striker Simy scored his very first Serie A TIM goal against Atalanta in September 2016; he has scored two goals against them, only against Sassuolo (three) has he had scored more in the competition. 03/03/2021 20:45 - CIRO VIGORITO BENEVENTO Vs HELLAS VERONA The home side has always won each of the three Serie A TIM meetings between Benevento and Hellas Verona: in the only previous game at the Vigorito in April 2018, Benevento won 3-0 (their biggest win in the top-flight). Only one of the eight Serie A TIM goals scored between Benevento and Hellas Verona has been scored from a set-piece situation: Cheick Diabaté from a corner in April 2018. Benevento have failed to score in their last two league games, only twice have they gone goalless in three or more matches in a row: February 2018 (three) and September 2017 (five). After the 0-0 draw against AS Roma in their last Serie A TIM home game, Benevento could keep a clean sheet in two consecutive home league matches for the first time in the competition. Hellas Verona have drawn their last two league matches and could draw three in a row for the first time since January 2016. Hellas Verona have only drawn one of their last 16 Serie A TIM matches against promoted sides (2-2 v SPAL in December 2017 – W8 L7). Hellas Verona (75%) and Benevento (78%) are two of the three sides with the lowest passing accuracy in Serie A TIM this season (77% Sampdoria). Hellas Verona could become the third side against which Benevento’s striker has found the net in both seasonal matches in a single Serie A TIM campaign, after AS Roma in 2017/18 and Empoli in 2016/17. Both Antonin Barak and Kevin Lasagna have scored three goals in three Serie A TIM meetings against Benevento; against no other sides have these two Hellas Verona players scored more in the top-flight. Antonin Barak, Hellas Verona’s best scorer in the current Serie A TIM season (six goals), could equal his best tally of goals in a single Italian top-flight campaign (seven for Udinese in 2017/18).

03/03/2021 20:45 - CAGLIARI Vs After the 3-2 win in the reverse fixture, Bologna could win both home and away against Cagliari in a single Serie A TIM season for the first time since 2013/14. Cagliari have won their last two Serie A TIM home meetings against Bologna and could win three in a row for the first time since the 1970s (five). could become the first Cagliari manager to win his first two Serie A TIM matches with the club since in 2012 (first four). Cagliari have failed to score in their last two Serie A TIM home matches; they last failed to find the net in three such games in a row in December 2012, under Ivo Pulga. Bologna were one of four sides that went unbeaten in February 2021 in Serie A TIM (also Inter, Atalanta and Torino) – only Inter conceded fewer goals (one) than Bologna in this period (two). Bologna have failed to score in seven of their last 11 Serie A TIM away matches played on Italian islands, winning only once in the process (3-0 v Cagliari in 2013 – D5 L5). Only Atalanta (15) have had more different scorers than Bologna (14) in Serie A TIM this season – on the other hand, only Parma (seven) have had fewer than Cagliari (eight). Bologna’s keeper Lukasz Skorupski has made the most saves (43) in 2021. However, Cagliari’s has made the most saves when considering the whole 2020/21 Serie A TIM campaign (97). Cagliari’s striker João Pedro has scored a Serie A TIM goal once every 102 minutes on average against Bologna (five goals in 512 mins), his best ratio against any side he’s faced more than twice in the competition. Cagliari are Musa Barrow’s favourite Serie A TIM target: he has scored three goals against them since he joined Bologna, after having failed to find the net in his previous three meetings for Atalanta.

03/03/2021 20:45 - ARTEMIO FRANCHI FIORENTINA Vs ROMA After the 0-2 defeat in the reverse fixture, Fiorentina could fail to score in two Serie A TIM matches in a row against AS Roma for the first time since 2014 – they also could fail to find the net in both their league matches against the Giallorossi in a season for the first time since the 1974/75 campaign. Fiorentina’s last Serie A TIM win against AS Roma was back in April 2018 (2-0): since then, they’ve had two draws followed by three defeats. Paulo Fonseca could become the first AS Roma manager to win two successive Serie A TIM away games against Fiorentina: they achieved this in May 2013 and April 2014, but under two different coaches (Andreazzoli and Garcia). Fiorentina have won three of their last four Serie A TIM home matches (L1) after having failed to win each of their first five since the return of Prandelli (D4 L1). AS Roma have failed to find the net in their last three Serie A TIM away games: they last failed to score in four such matches in a row in March 1985. Since rejoined the club, Fiorentina have scored 15 goals in 17 league games: only Parma (11) and Cagliari (12) have scored fewer goals in that time. As Roma have won eight and drawn one of their last nine games against sides in 14th place or lower in the table at the beginning of the MD(four clean sheets in the process). Jordan Veretout made his Serie A TIM debut for Fiorentina (69 appearances between 2017 and 2019) – the game against the Viola in July 2020 was the only time the Frenchman has scored two penalties in a single match in his Top-5 European Leagues career. Dusan Vlahovic has been involved in six of Fiorentina’s last eight Serie A TIM home goals (five goals, one assist): however, AS Roma are the only side he’s faced at least three times and always lost in the competition (three defeats in three games).

03/03/2021 20:45 - LUIGI FERRARIS Vs SAMPDORIA Genoa are unbeaten in their last two Serie A TIM derbies against Sampdoria (W1 D1) and could avoid defeat in three in a row for the first time since November 2009 (W3). After the 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture, Genoa and Sampdoria could draw both matches in a Serie A TIM season for the first time since 1993/94 (1-1 in both games). Genoa’s last Serie A TIM home win against Sampdoria was back in May 2011 (a 2-1 defeat thanks to a 97th goal by Mauro Boselli), drawing two and losing six since. Genoa are unbeaten in their last six Serie A TIM home matches (W3 D3), their longest such run since December 2016, when they avoided defeat in each of Ivan Juric first eight home matches in charge of the club. Sampdoria have only scored three goals in their last five Serie A TIM games (W1 D1 L3): only Crotone (one) and Benevento (two) have scored fewer in this time. After a 1-0 defeat at the Olimpico against Lazio, Sampdoria could fail to score in successive Serie A TIM away matches for the first time since May 2018. Genoa’s Serie A TIM games have seen the fewest set-piece goals this season: 10 (two scored and eight conceded). is unbeaten in four Serie A TIM derbies against Sampdoria as a manager for Genoa (W2 D2): only (six) has managed in more such derbies without a single defeat in the three points for a win era. Genoa’s has scored four Serie A TIM goals against Sampdoria, most recently in September 2016 for Bologna. and Manolo Gabbiadini have scored three goals each in the Genoa Derby: only Adriano Bassetto (5), Giuseppe Baldini, and Diego Milito (4 each) have scored more in the competition.

03/03/2021 20:45 - MILAN Vs UDINESE AC Milan have won their last two games against Udinese in Serie A TIM: the Rossoneri could win three consecutive matches against the Friulians in the competition for the first time since 2008. Udinese have won just one of their last 13 matches (D4 L8) at Meazza stadium against AC Milan in Serie A TIM, a 1-0 win via a Stipe Perica goal in September 2016. Only Inter (15) have picked up more points than Udinese (10 – W3 D1 L1) in the last five Serie A TIM matches. AC Milan have lost three of their last five home Serie A TIM games (W2), one more defeat than in all the previous 23 home games under Stefano Pioli. AC Milan have picked up 50+ points for only the 6th time (52 so far) after 24 seasonal Serie A TIM matches in the three points for a win era: in the previous five (most recently in 2011/12, 50) they ended the season in the top-two of the league. Udinese have only won one of their last seven away Serie A TIM games (D3 L3), after having won four in their previous seven matches on the road (D1 L2). Udinese have scored the fewest goals in the first half in Serie A TIM this season (only nine), while only Napoli (eight) have conceded fewer first half goals than AC Milan (nine). Among the teams he’s faced more than once in Serie A TIM, Udinese are the team against which AC Milan's Ante Rebic has the best minutes per goal ratio, netting two goals in 99 minutes played for the Croatian (one every 50 minutes). In the second half of this season (since 29th January), only (six goals) has scored more goals than AC Milan striker Ante Rebic in Serie A TIM (four goals in four appearances). Udinese's Rodrigo de Paul has scored two goals against AC Milan in Serie A TIM, though both have been in Friuli - the first of these, in January 2017, was his first ever goal in the Italian top-flight.

04/03/2021 20:45 - ENNIO TARDINI PARMA Vs INTER Inter are unbeaten in their last four Serie A TIM meetings against Parma (W2 D2), their longest such run against them since 2010 (seven games unbeaten). After the 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture, Inter and Parma could draw both games in a Serie A TIM season for the first time since 2004/05. Parma have lost three of their last four Serie A TIM home games against Inter (W1), as many defeats as they had in the previous 22. Parma have picked up only eight points in their first 12 Serie A TIM home matches this season; only in 2014/15 (seven, when they eventually relegated) have they collected fewer at this stage of the competition. On only three occasions have Inter gained at least 56 points after 24 Serie A TIM games in the three points for a win era – they won the title in each of those campaigns (2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09). Inter have kept a clean sheet in their last three Serie A TIM away matches: they last kept four clean sheets in a row on the road in the competition in 2012. Parma have used the most players in Serie A TIM this season (36), while Inter have used the fewest so far (22). Parma’s Yann Karamoh made his Serie A TIM debut for Inter in 2017 (17 total league apps for Inter) – in his only meeting against them in the competition he scored a goal and delivered an assist for Parma in October 2019. In all competitions, Romelu Lukaku has scored 58 goals for Inter: since he joined the club in 2019/20, only (89) and Cristiano Ronaldo (63) have scored more among players in the Top-5 European Leagues. Since 2018/19, is the only outfield player born after 1/1/1999 to have made at least 20 appearances in each of the last three Serie A TIM campaigns (24 for Parma in 2018/19, 25 for Inter in last term and 21 for Inter this season).