MILAN – Ahead of Inter's 2013/14 Serie A Week 25 contest with Cagliari at the Stadio Meazza this afternoon (15:00 kick-off), we've put together a selection of facts and figures to get you into the mood for the game, courtesy of our friends at Football Data.
Inter's 262-minute shutout on home soil
Walter Mazzarri's men have conceded just one goal to visiting teams in their last four home games, Paloschi's 8th-minute strike in Inter 1-1 ChievoVerona on 13 January. Since then Handanovic's goal has not been breached in 262 minutes: 82 against Chievo then the full 90 against Catania (0-0) and Sassuolo (1-0).
Inter on longest unbeaten streak at the Meazza in a year
The Nerazzurri are currently enjoying a nine-match unbeaten run at home in competitive fixtures (won five, 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 streak without defeat.
Cagliari haven't triumphed on the road in over a year
Cagliari's last win in a competitive fixture away from home goes back to 17 February 2013, when they overcame Pescara 0-2 in Serie A. 17 away trips later, all in the league, they are still looking for the next one, having accumulated nine wins and eight draws.
Rossoblu firing blanks for 450 minutes away from home
The Sardinian outfit haven't hit the net off the island in 450 minutes, since Conti grabbed a late consolation in the 90th minute of Hellas Verona 2-1 Cagliari on 3 November. They have failed to get anyone on the score sheet in the five away encounters since then: at Roma, Parma and ChievoVerona (all 0-0), Atalanta and Sampdoria (both 1-0).
Mazzarri v Lopez
This is only the second coaching match-up between Walter Mazzarri and Diego Lopez following the 1-1 draw played in Trieste earlier in the season.
Mazzarri's strong record against former club Cagliari
Walter Mazzarri has a 50% win record in competitive fixtures against Cagliari, where he spent a short time as a player (nine appearances and one goal between July and October 1982, including his Serie A debut on 26 September 1982 in Cagliari 0-2 Inter). As a coach, he has won 12 of 24 meetings, drawing eight and losing four. Mazzarri's last defeat against the Sardinians was on 30 November 2008, when his Sampdoria side slipped to a 0-1 Serie A loss at the Sant'Elia. Since then the current Nerazzurri manager has gone 10 games unbeaten (W5, D5).
Lopez's second time against Inter
Diego Lopez's only previous game against Inter during his coaching career was the 1-1 draw in Week 6, on 29 September 2013.
