Fiorentina vs. Inter: Stats and trivia

MILAN - The disappointment following the defeat against Barcelona needs to be overcome immediately. Antonio Conte’s Inter side will return to the pitch at 20:45 on Sunday to face Fiorentina on matchday 16 of the 2019/20 Serie A TIM season. In collaboration with Opta, here are all the facts and figures that you need to know ahead of the match at the Franchi.

FIORENTINA VS. INTER, PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Inter and Fiorentina are set to meet for the 163rd time in Serie A. The Nerazzurri’s record against the Viola reads as follows: 66 wins, 52 draws, 44 defeats. Fiorentina and Inter have played out draws in two of their last three Serie A fixtures against each other (with the Nerazzurri winning the other), the same number as in the 18 matches prior to this. Inter have found it particularly tough in Florence in recent times: the Viola are unbeaten in five games on home soil against the Nerazzurri (three wins and two draws). Furthermore, Fiorentina have scored an average of 2.7 goals in meetings between the sides in the last seven matches played at the Franchi in Serie A.

Inter are one away from scoring their 250th goal against Fiorentina in the Italian top tier. The Nerazzurri have only netted more against Roma in the competition.

FORM GUIDE

Inter have picked up 38 points so far this season: since the start of the three-points-for-a-win era, the Nerazzurri have only done better on two occasions: in 2006/07 and 2017/18 (39 points). They also won on matchday 16 in 2006/07, while they drew in 2017/18.

Prior to Inter’s 2019/20 team, only three sides had begun the Serie A season with seven consecutive away wins: Milan in 1992/93, Juventus in 2018/19 and Lazio in 2002/03.

The Nerazzurri’s last league match finished in a 0-0 stalemate with Roma: Inter haven’t gone two consecutive league fixtures without scoring since February. The Nerazzurri haven’t played out two successive 0-0 draws in Serie A since 2010.

Fiorentina sit on 16 points after 15 matches. Since the turn of the millennium, only once have they had a worse start to the season than this (14 points in 2001/02).

Fiorentina have lost their last four Serie A matches: since the start of the three-points-for-a-win era, the Viola have only suffered five defeats in a row in a single season on two occasions. This happened under Montella last year and under Chiarugi in 2002. Fiorentina have won just two of their last 18 league fixtures at the Franchi, drawing nine and losing seven of those games.

GENERAL STATISTICS

No other side has conceded more goals from headers than Fiorentina this league campaign (six), while Inter have the best record in this regard (just one goal let in). Furthermore, only Cagliari (seven) have scored more headed goals than the Nerazzurri (six).

Fiorentina’s last six Serie A goals have been scored in the second half. In percentage terms, only Sampdoria (83.3%) have netted more in the second period than the Viola (73.7%).

Inter are the team that has lost the fewest amount of points from leading positions this Serie A campaign (just two).

No other side has scored more goals from outside the box than Inter so far this season (seven), while no other team has scored fewer than Fiorentina in this manner (one).

Inter have the best defence in the league having conceded just 13 in 15 matches. Meanwhile, Fiorentina had let in 13 goals after ten matchdays (23 after 15 fixtures).

Inter (one) and Fiorentina (five) are the two teams that have conceded the fewest number of goals from dead ball situations this Serie A season.

No other side has allowed the opposition to shoot on fewer occasions than Fiorentina so far this Serie A campaign (173). Inter are the fourth best team in this respect having allowed 177 opposition shots.

Romelu Lukaku (ten) and Lautaro Martinez (eight) have netted the same amount of goals that Fiorentina have scored this season in the Italian top flight (18, one of which was an own goal).

Fiorentina are the side that has attempted the most shots from indirect free kicks (22). However, the Viola still haven’t scored from such a situation.

PLAYER FOCUS

Inter’s last seven goals in all competitions have been bagged by either Lukaku (three) or Martínez (four).

Samir Handanovic is one away from keeping his 100th clean sheet for Inter in Serie A.

Marcelo Brozovic (1096) and Milan Skriniar (1011) are the only two players this Serie A season to have made at least 1000 passes. Milenkovic (744) is the best Fiorentina player in this regard.

Three Nerazzurri players once spent time at Fiorentina. Matias Vecino played for the Viola 61 times between 2015 and 2017, while Borja Valero scored 14 goals in 166 appearances for the team from Florence. Cristiano Biraghi took to the pitch on 70 occasions across two Serie A seasons for Fiorentina and was involved in ten goals (two of which he scored, eight of which he provided an assist for).

Fiorentina are Matteo Politano and Kwadwo Asamoah’s favourite opponents in Serie A (three goals for each).

Marco Benassi made his Serie A debut for Inter back in the 2012/12 season. He made six appearances in the top flight for the Nerazzurri, his next appearance will take him to 150 in the league. Dalbert made 24 Serie A appearances for Inter between 2017 and 2019.

Martínez (62) and Chiesa (54) are second and fourth in the rankings for the players to have attempted the most shots so far in the league this season.