Inter review: all of the Nerazzurri numbers and statistics from 2019

MILAN - The Nerazzurri’s 2019 drew to a close with a resounding 4-0 victory over Genoa, a win that took Inter back to the top of Serie A after their 17 games played, where they sit level with Juventus.

It was a 2019 full of exciting challenges for the Nerazzurri: the side secured Champions League qualification back in May after a hard-fought win over Empoli on the final day of the season. They then changed their coach, Antonio Conte arriving to start a new chapter for the Club. Step by step, just as our Nerazzurri Coach always says.

Now, as we await our return to the pitch (Napoli vs. Inter on 6 January at 20:45 CET at the San Paolo), it’s time to look back on all of the Nerazzurri’s numbers from 2019 in collaboration with Opta. Games, goals, statistics and fun facts from the calendar year that’s about to come to a close.

Inter took to the pitch 48 times in 2019, playing 36 games in the league, six in the Champions League, four in the Europa League and two in the Coppa Italia. The year began with a win, Inter triumphing 6-2 over Benevento in the Coppa Italia round of 16, and ended in a similar way with a thumping 4-0 victory over Genoa in the league. The total score shows 26 wins, twelve draws (one of which was lost on penalties in the Coppa Italia quarter-final against Lazio) and ten defeats.

The player with the most appearances in 2019 was our captain, Samir Handanovic, who played 47 of our 48 games (missing only Inter vs. Benevento in the Coppa Italia). He also thus holds the record for most minutes played (4,260, excluding injury time). The Slovenian goalkeeper achieved a personal milestone too, having now kept 101 clean sheets in a Nerazzurri shirt. 2019 was a year full of recognition for Handanovic: he was voted as the best goalkeeper in Serie A for the 2018/2019 season, making it into the Team of the Season at the Gran Galà del Calcio awards. He also hit 300 appearances for Inter and was nominated for the 2019 Yashin Trophy.

Inter scored 83 goals in all competitions from January to December this year, averaging 1.73 per game. Our top scorer of 2019 was Lautaro Martinez with 19 goals. five of which came in the Champions League. The Argentinian took 143 shots, finding the target on 54 occasions. New summer signing Romelu Lukaku has already scored 14 goals (twelve in the league and two in the Champions League). Antonio Candreva meanwhile leads the assist rankings with seven over the last twelve months.

Marcelo Brozovic and Milan Skriniar have been the two cornerstones of the Nerazzurri this year. The Croatian missed his first minutes of the 2019/20 season against Genoa due to suspension. The Slovakian defender meanwhile, just like Handanovic, has not missed a single minute of the Nerazzurri’s season so far. Brozovic has constantly topped the scoreboard for distance run in games, also leading the rankings for chances created, duels won and touches of the ball: an indication of a fixed and constant presence at the heart of the Nerazzurri’s play, both with and without the ball.

Skriniar, thanks to the new system which involves him much more in the build-up phases, is as a result the Nerazzurri player with the highest number of completed passes. This statistic goes alongside the more expected aerial duels and number of times for possession recovered, our number 37 also leading both of these categories.

INTER 2019 ALL COMPETITIONSMOST MINUTESHandanovic4260MOST APPEARANCESHandanovic47MOST GOALSMartínez, Lautaro 19MOST ASSISTSCandreva, Antonio7MOST SHOTS (inc. blocked)Martínez, Lautaro143MOST SHOTS ON TARGETMartínez, Lautaro54MOST CHANCES CREATEDBrozovic, Marcelo 69MOST CROSSESCandreva, Antonio139MOST SUCCESSFUL DRIBBLESPolitano, Matteo50MOST DUELS WONBrozovic, Marcelo71MOST BALLS RECOVERED (excl. goalkeepers)Skriniar, Milan 312MOST AERIAL DUELS WONSkriniar, Milan 74MOST COMPLETED PASSESSkriniar, Milan 2794MOST TOUCHESBrozovic, Marcelo3774MOST FOULS WONMartínez, Lautaro86MOST FOULS COMMITTEDSkriniar, Milan72MOST RED CARDSKeita, Sánchez Alexis, Politano Matteo1MOST YELLOW CARDSBrozovic, Marcelo12MOST FREQUENTLY TAKEN OFFPolitano, Matteo18MOST FREQUENTLY BROUGHT ONCandreva, Antonio16