MILAN – As the Nerazzurri Under-19s prepare to kick off their 2014 Viareggio Cup campaign against Anderlecht, we've put together a selection of facts and figures with the help of Football Data to provide some background to this evening's last-16 contest.
Inter's first outing at 2014 Viareggio Cup
Salvatore Cerrone's boys are one of four teams to enter the 66th edition of the Viareggio Cup World Football Tournament Coppa Carnevale in the round of 16, having been given a bye for the group stage. The Nerazzurri are competing in the prestigious international tournament for the 51st time. In total they have played 219 games, winning 119, drawing 56 and losing 44, with 337 goals scored and 169 conceded. They have lifted the cup six times, most recently in 2008 and 2011.
Inter and Anderlecht's second meeting at Viareggio
These teams previously faced off in the group stage on 6 February 2012, sharing the spoils with a 1-1 draw (Romanò and De Wilde the scorers).
Nerazzurri's 405-minute Carnival Cup shutout
The last goal conceded by Inter at Viareggio was in the 45th minute of Parma 1-1 Inter (Sprocati) on 14 February 2012, a last-16 encounter which the Nerazzurri then lost on penalties (4-1). Adding together the second half of that match and the four games played in 2013 (3-0, 1-0 and 3-0 wins in the group stage over Nogoom, Virtus Entella and Melbourne respectively; 0-0 against Spezia in the round of 16 before losing 3-0 on penalties), Inter's defence has not been breached in 405 minutes of Coppa Carnevale action.
One defeat in last 37 tournament outings
The Nerazzurri have only lost once in regular time in their last 37 matches played at the Viareggio Cup: that was on 21 February 2009 when they went down 2-1 to Sampdoria in the semi-finals. The other 36 games in this period have yielded 27 wins and nine draws. Inter are unbeaten in 19 since that 2009 reverse to Sampdoria (14 wins, five draws).
Viareggio 2014: Anderlecht unbeaten
Anderlecht finished the 2014 Viareggio Cup group stage on seven points level with Palermo (with whom they drew 1-1), ahead of Napoli (1-0 to the Belgians) and Australia's Leichhardt Tigers (a 3-0 win).
One defeat for the Belgians in triumphant 2013
Anderlecht's last taste of defeat at the Carnival Cup came on 13 February 2013, when they were beaten 1-0 by Norte America in the group stage. Since then, the team that went on to win the tournament last year are unbeaten in eight (W5, D3).
