Matchday 4 Serie A TIM 2020-21 17 - 19 October 2020 17/10/2020 15:00 - SAN PAOLO NAPOLI Vs ATALANTA Atalanta are unbeaten in three Serie A TIM games against Napoli (W2 D1), while the last time they went four unbeaten against the Partenopei was in December 2007 (seven). In the last seven Serie A TIM games played in Campania between Napoli and Atalanta the same result has never been repeated twice in a row: three wins for the Partenopei, two for the Nerazzurri and two draws. For the first time in their Serie A TIM history, Napoli have scored at least eight goals in the first two MDs - the Partenopei could win their first three games to a season in the competition for the fourth time in the 21st century (the first since 2017/18). Napoli are unbeaten in eight Serie A TIM home games in a row, thanks to seven wins and one draw, after having collected only five points in the previous eight (W1 D2 L5). Atalanta have won their first three Serie A TIM league games of the season for the first time in their history – their best points total after four matches is 10 points (in 2000/01 and 2011/12). Atalanta are the first team in Serie A TIM history to have scored at least four goals in each of their first three league games to a season; the last side to achieve this in the Top-5 European leagues were Real Madrid in 1987/88. In general, the last Serie A TIM team to score four goals in four games in a row were Juventus in 1950. Atalanta have scored 10 goals in the first half of matches this season, at least three more than any other team in the Top-5 European Leagues. Indeed, no team has scored more than Napoli in the second half of matches (seven, as Sassuolo). Napoli’s Andrea Petagna has scored five goals against Atalanta, more than against any other Serie A TIM team. Atalanta are also his former side, where he scored nine goals in 63 league appearances. Tiemoué Bakayoko could become the third French player to find the net with Napoli in Serie A TIM, after Laurent Blanc and Alain Boghossian. Alejandro Gómez has scored in each of his last three league games for Atalanta; the Argentinian has never scored in four consecutive Serie A TIM games - his last goal in the competition against Napoli came in December 2015. 17/10/2020 18:00 - GIUSEPPE MEAZZA INTER Vs MILAN Inter have won their last four Serie A TIM games against Milan: the Nerazzurri have only had a longer such streak in the Milan Derby between 1979 and 1983 (five wins in a row). Inter are unbeaten in nine Serie A TIM home games against Milan (W6 D3): the record for consecutive games without a defeat at home against the Rossoneri for the Nerazzurri is 10 (their first 10 in the competition). Inter have gained seven points in their first three games of this Serie A TIM season (W2 D1): in five of their last seven Serie A TIM seasons, the Nerazzurri have been unbeaten in their first four games. Except for Atalanta (56), Milan (54) and Inter (47) are the two teams that have gained the most points in Serie A TIM in 2020. In this period, the Rossoneri have conceded the fewest goals amongst the teams present in both seasons (22 goals). Milan have scored in each of their last 23 league games and have not conceded in the last four. They last had a longer scoring streak in 1973, while they last had a longer run of shutouts in 2006. Milan have won their first three games in this Serie A season, while the last time they won the first four games of the season in the competition was in 1995/96, with Fabio Capello. The next victory will be AC Milan's 1400th Serie A win (incl. awarded games) - the Rossoneri could become the third team to reach this milestone after Juventus and Inter. Antonio Conte could become the first coach in the history of Inter to win their first three derbies vs Milan (considering all competitions). His next match will be Aleksandar Kolarov's 350th appearance across Serie A TIM and Premier League (and 300th as a starter) - however, only against Tottenham (10 games) has the Inter defender played more league games without being involved in a goal than against Milan (nine). AC Milan are one of four teams that Inter striker Romelu Lukaku scored in both matches last season and they could become the first side to concede goal against the Belgian in three Serie A TIM games. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been involved in five goals in four Serie A TIM derbies for Milan (four goals and one assist), all with Inter as the home side - he has lost three of those four matches against the Nerazzurri. 17/10/2020 18:00 - LUIGI FERRARIS SAMPDORIA Vs LAZIO Sampdoria have won only one of their last 17 Serie A TIM matches against Lazio (D3 L13), conceding at least two goals in each of their last eight fixtures (27 goals conceded, 3.4 on average). Lazio could win five consecutive Serie A TIM matches on the road against Sampdoria for the first time – currently on a streak of four wins in a row. Sampdoria have lost two of the three matches in the current league season (W1); in the three points for a win era (since 1994/95) only in 2019/20 and in 2004/05 have they lost three of their first four seasonal Serie A TIM games. The last time Sampdoria have lost four home Serie A TIM matches in a row was back in April 2011 – currently on a streak of three defeats in a row at Ferraris stadium. Lazio have picked up 20 points in 15 league matches post-lockdown (1.3 on average); in the previous 10 Serie A TIM matches in 2020 the Biancocelesti gained the most points (26, 2.6 on average). In the last nine Serie A TIM matches on the road, Lazio have never repeated the same result twice in a row (W4 D1 L4); they won the most recent match against Cagliari. Lazio have gained the most points from losing positions in 2020 in the Top-5 European Leagues (20). Sampdoria are Felipe Caicedo’s favorite target in Serie A TIM. Against the Blucerchiati he netted both his first goal in the Italian top-flight (December 2017) and also his first brace (April 2019) – in total he has scored four goals in four matches against them. Sampdoria are Ciro Immobile’s favorite target in Serie A TIM (12 goals in 13 matches) – he is disqualified for this match. Since 2016/17 Lazio played only 10 league games without Immobile (W4 D3 L3). 17/10/2020 20:45 - EZIO SCIDA CROTONE Vs JUVENTUS Crotone drew their most recent Serie A TIM match against Juventus (1-1 in April 2018) – in the previous three fixtures against the Bianconeri in the Italian top-flight they had lost each time without scoring any goals. Across Serie A TIM and Serie B, Juventus are unbeaten on the road against Crotone (W2 D1). Crotone have lost each of their first three matches in the league this season: in both of their previous Serie A TIM campaigns they started with one point from four matchdays. Crotone have always lost their first home Serie A TIM match of the season (also in 2016/17 and 2017/18) – in both previous seasons they have drawn the second home game. Juventus haven’t lost any of their first three league matches in eight of their last nine Serie A TIM campaigns (since 2011/12): the only exception coming in 2015/16 under Massimiliano Allegri. The last time Juventus failed to win in six Serie A TIM matches on the road was in August 2010 – currently they are on a streak of five away league games without a victory (D2 L3). Since Opta started collecting this data (since 2004/05), Juventus’ highest possession figures in a single Serie A TIM match came against Crotone: 80.7% in November 2017 and 80% in February 2017. Crotone’s only goal against Juventus in Serie A TIM was netted by Simy (1-1 in April 2018) – the Nigerian striker is also the only Crotone player to have directed at least two shots on target against the Bianconeri in the competition (two). Federico Chiesa could make his debut with Juventus: in his two most recent Serie A TIM matches against Crotone, he scored one goal and provided an assist. Gianluigi Buffon could play his 650th Serie A TIM appearance: he played 83 top-flight games for Parma between 1996 and 1999 with Enrico Chiesa, his current teammate Federico Chiesa's father. 18/10/2020 12:30 - RENATO DALL'ARA BOLOGNA Vs SASSUOLO Bologna have lost four of their 12 Serie A TIM matches against Sassuolo; after a streak of seven league games without defeat (W5 D2), the Rossoblu have lost the most recent two. In six Serie A TIM matches between Bologna and Sassuolo at Dall’Ara stadium, the teams have picked up two wins apiece and two draws. Bologna have conceded goals in each of their last 36 Serie A TIM matches; the last team with a longer such run in the Big 5 European leagues was MSV Duisburg in 1975 (38). In their last 11 home Serie A TIM matches, Bologna have never repeated the same result twice in a row (W3 D5 L3) – they won the most recent fixture at Dall’Ara stadium against Parma.