MILAN – As we wait for this evening's Serie A Week 23 encounter between Inter and Sassuolo, we've put together a few pre-match stats to get you into the mood, with the help of our friends at Football Data.
No penalties in 24 league games for Inter
Inter are one of two teams still yet to be awarded a spot-kick in the 2013/14 Serie A season (Chievo are the other). The Nerazzurri's last penalty came on 8 May 2013 (25 rounds ago), Alvarez missing from 12 yards in the 1-3 defeat at Lazio.
Inter on longest unbeaten streak at the Meazza in a year
The Nerazzurri are currently enjoying an eight-match unbeaten run at home in competitive fixtures (won four, drawn four), their last defeat in San Siro coming at the hands of Roma (0-3 on 5 October 2013). Inter haven't gone this long without losing on home turf since the period from September 2012 to February 2013, when they put together 11 wins and five draws for a 16-game spell without defeat at the Meazza.
Mazzarri's men seeking first win in 2014
The Nerazzurri have not registered a victory since the turn of the year, having drawn two and lost three of their five matches played in Serie A, as well as losing 1-0 to Udinese in the Coppa Italia. Their last win was in the Milan Derby: 1-0 over the Rossoneri on 22 December 2013.
Limited routes to goal for Neroverdi
Sassuolo are the Serie A team with the fewest goalscorers this season. Only five players have hit the net: Berardi, Floro Flores, Marzoratti, Schelotto and Zaza.
Three points in eight games for Sassuolo – all against AC Milan
Sassuolo have mustered just three points in their last eight league outings, obtained thanks to a 4-3 win over AC Milan at Mapei Stadium on 12 January. Their other seven matches in this period have all ended in defeat.
Career highs and lows in Mazzarri v Sassuolo and Malesani v Mazzarri
Walter Mazzarri obtained his biggest career win in the reverse fixture in Reggio Emilia on 22 September 2013 (7-0), while Alberto Malesani suffered his heaviest defeat as a coach against Walter Mazzarri in Napoli 6-1 Genoa on 21 December 2011. The two tacticians meet again today for the first time since that encounter.
Malesani twice given the boot after losing to Mazzarri
He's only just taken over at the helm of Sassuolo and already Alberto Malesani finds himself up against his nemesis. Of the six times he's been sacked during his coaching career, two have come immediately after losing to Walter Mazzarri: Empoli 0-2 Sampdoria in 2007/08 and Napoli 6-1 Genoa in 2011/12 (both in Serie A).
Mazzarri v Malesani
There have been seven previous match-ups between coaches Walter Mazzarri and Alberto Malesani and the current Nerazzurri boss is yet to lose: five wins and two draws.
Mazzarri v Sassuolo
Walter Mazzarri's only prior meeting with Sassuolo was the 7-0 drubbing Inter handed out to the Neroverdi at Mapei Stadium earlier this season (22 September 2013).
Malesani v Inter
Alberto Malesani will tonight face Inter for the 22nd time in his coaching career (W5, D5, L11). He last beat the Nerazzurri on 29 November 2000, when his Parma side recorded a 6-1 victory in the Coppa Italia. Since the turn of the millennium, Malesani has put out 11 line-ups against Inter, drawing on five occasions and losing eight (including the last five).
