Stats and trivia ahead of Inter vs. Udinese

MILAN – League action is almost back! Following the international break, the Nerazzurri will soon be taking to the pitch again. Ahead of the clash against Udinese at San Siro, we’re providing you with all the facts and figures that you need to know in collaboration with Opta.

Inter and Udinese are set to face each other in Serie A for the 93rd time on Saturday, with the Nerazzurri having won 45 and lost 21 matches against the Bianconeri. Inter have emerged victorious in seven of the last nine meetings between the sides at San Siro.

The Nerazzurri have won their first two league fixtures so far this season: since the start of the three-points-for-a-win era, Inter have recorded three wins out of their first three Serie A matches on just four occasions (1997/98, 2002/03, 2015/16 and 2017/18).

Inter have won six of their last eight league matches played following an international break, keeping a clean sheet in five of these fixtures.

From the start of the 2018/19 season, the Nerazzurri have only conceded ten goals at home in Italy’s top tier, at least six fewer than any other team who played in Serie A last season and continue to do so this campaign.

Only Atalanta (22) have had more shots on target than Udinese (17) at the start of the new season, while Inter’s tally currently stands at 13. Nevertheless, the Nerazzurri have scored four more goals than the Bianconeri (six vs. two)

Inter’s six goals so far this campaign have come through five different players. Only Napoli have had more players score for them up to this point (six).

In terms of shots on target from the opposition, Inter and Udinese are two of the three sides who have allowed the fewest amount at the start of the new league season: four for the Nerazzurri and three for the Bianconeri (along with Bologna). Last season, Udinese allowed their opponents to shoot on target an average of 4.9 times per game.

Inter are the team with the highest percentage of completed passes after two matchdays: 88.6%.

Only Bologna (67) have had more touches in the opposition penalty box than Inter (62) up to this point.

PLAYER FOCUS

Romelu Lukaku has scored in his first two appearances for Inter in Serie A: no Nerazzurri player has found the back of the net in the Club’s first three games in the top tier since the 1994/95 season.

Ever since Serie A came into being, only one player has scored in Inter’s opening three league fixtures in their debut season in the top tier: Istvan Nyers in 1948/49. Romelu Lukaku could become the second player to achieve the same feat.

Udinese are the side who Brozovic has been involved in the most goals against in Serie A (five in total: two goals and three assists).

For the second consecutive season, Marcelo Brozovic is leading the charts when it comes to the most touches and most successful passes in the opposition half of the pitch (219 and 96 times so far this campaign respectively).

Candreva’s debut in Italy’s top division came in Udinese’s shirt during the 2007/08 season. He made a total of three appearances for the Friulani in the competition.

Asamoah played 114 games for Udinese in Serie A, scoring on eight occasions.

Samir Handanovic donned the Udinese shirt before moving to Inter: he was involved in 182 matches for the Bianconeri, saving 14 penalties in the process. Inter’s backup goalkeeper Daniele Padelli also had a spell with the team from Udine, making nine Serie A appearances between 2012 and 2013.

Stefano Sensi has bagged two goals in four games against Udinese in Italy’s top tier, although both of these came at the Dacia Arena.

Up to this point, Udinese are the only side Alexis Sánchez has turned out for in Serie A. He scored 20 goals in 95 matches for the Bianconeri but only netted on one occasion at San Siro, when Milan and Udinese drew 4-4 in January 2011.

Alexis Sánchez is aiming to become the fifth Chilean player to score for Inter in Serie A following on from Iván Zamorano, David Pizarro, Luis Jiménez and Gary Medel.