MILAN – Let's take a closer look at some facts and figures on today's encounter in Bologna, in collaboration with our friends at Opta:
HEAD-TO-HEAD
These two teams are facing up for the 137th time in the top division in Italy. The form book so far reads 64 victories for the Nerazzurri, 39 wins for Bologna and 33 draws.
Bologna are undefeated in the last three league matches against Inter with one win and two draws. The last time the Rossoblu picked up points in four back-to-back games against Inter was in 1976.
The most frequent scoreline in Serie A in this fixture is a 2-1 Inter win, which has happened 16 times so far (in 2008/09 both games between these two teams finished with this exact result).
Bologna have hit the back of the net in seven league matches in a row against Inter yet have only registered two victories (both at the San Siro), with two draws and three defeats making up the rest.
RECORD IN BOLOGNA
Bologna have had more success against the Nerazzurri in their native city: winning 29, losing 26 and drawing 13. Nevertheless, the Rossoblu have only picked up two points in the last nine home encounters against Inter.
Three of the last five match-ups at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara have finished 3-1 to the Nerazzurri.
Inter have scored the most goals away at Bologna in the top division in Italy (99 goals).
The 6-0 thrashing Inter handed out to the Rossoblu in May 1989 is the worst home defeat suffered by Bologna in Serie A.
FORM GUIDE
Bologna interrupted a poor run of four consecutive defeats with their last-gasp victory over Carpi this weekend. On Saturday, the Rossoblu also scored more than one goal for the first time in Serie A 2015/16. Delio Rossi's men are yet to draw this season, only Fiorentina and Lazio can match this.
Inter haven't won in four Serie A matches and have tied the last three. The last time the Nerazzurri drew four Serie A games in a row was back in November 2004, when the run stretched to seven back-to-back ties in Roberto Mancini's first season at the helm.
Bologna and Inter have only managed to net more than one strike in a single match against Carpi in 2015/16.
Inter have hit the back of the net nine times in the opening nine matches. The Nerazzurri haven't been this goal-shy in Serie A since 1995/96; back then they had only picked up 11 points by this stage compared to this year's haul of 18. On the other hand, Roberto Mancini's men have scored in eight league matches in a row on the road (14 goals overall) and are the only team this season not to have suffered an away defeat.
GENERAL STATS
The joint-worst attack in Serie A this season (Bologna have only scored six, level with Frosinone) is coming up against the best defence (Inter have only shipped seven goals so far).
The Rossoblu have only managed 85 shots this season, the worst record in Serie A.
Only Lazio and Palermo (185 each) have attempted more crosses than Inter (177).
Along with Chievo Verona, the Nerazzurri are the only outfit not to have scored in the opening half hour's play. The Rossoblu, on the other hand, are the least prolific team in Serie A in the second half (two goals scored).
Bologna have conceded the least amount of goals from dead-ball situations this season (once, from a penalty). After Verona with 11, Delio Rossi's team have lost the most points from leading positions with six.
There are 25 Bologna players who have played 90 minutes from start to finish at least once in 2015/16 – the highest in the season so far.
PLAYER FOCUS
Former Inter player Saphir Sliti Taïder played 25 times and scored one goal in Nerazzurri colours in 2013/14.
Mattia Destro, Lorenzo Crisetig and Ibrahima Mbaye all received their footballing educations at Inter's academy but only Mbaye actually made his Serie A debut for Inter (he played four games last season before moving onto Bologna).
Lorenzo Crisetig picked up a Champions League appearance for Inter back in September 2011.
Inter, along with Juventus, are the only team Mattia Destro has faced more than five times in the league without managing to hit the back of the net, playing six times against the Nerazzurri and seven times against the Bianconeri. Destro is also yet to open his goalscoring account for Bologna, having failed to hit the back of the net in 784 minutes: his longest drought in Serie A.
Franco Brienza has had the most attempts on goal (21) without managing to hit the back of the net.
On the contrary, Mattia Destro and Mauro Icardi have both had only nine shots each. No striker with at least eight matches under their belt has tried their luck less than these two in 2015/16.
Mauro Icardi notched his first double for the Nerazzurri in Serie A during Inter 2-2 Bologna back in April 2014.
Ivan Perisic has scored in two consecutive away matches, both of which finished 1-1 (against Sampdoria and Palermo).
Back when he was playing for Parma, Jonathan Biabiany netted twice and picked up three assists in fixtures versus Bologna. Palermo are the only team he's scored more against in the top division with three strikes.
Adem Ljajic has hit the back of the net twice in the last three encounters with the Rossoblu in Serie A, playing for Fiorentina and Roma. Ljajic hasn't scored in 16 league matches since Cagliari v Roma in February 2015, his longest period away from the scoresheet since April 2012.
Daniele Gastaldello scored his first Serie A goal in May 2006 during Inter 1-1 Siena.
Both Franco Brienza and Emanuele Giaccherini received their first red cards in Serie A games against Inter.
HEAD COACHES
Delio Rossi (377 games) and Roberto Mancini (286) are the two coaches with the most experience in Serie A out of the current crop. Mancini has presided over 150 victories so far: the same number of defeats suffered by his Rossoblu colleague.
Roberto Mancini made his first steps in professional football at the Bologna youth academy and played his first full Serie A season with the Rossoblu in 1981/82, scoring nine times. He then went on to write his name in footballing history at Sampdoria and Lazio. As a coach, he has faced Bologna eight times in the top division: his record reads three wins, three ties and two losses. He's undefeated so far as Inter coach against the Rossoblu (one win and one draw).
Delio Rossi has never got the better of Mancini in nine previous encounters in Serie A, with two draws and seven wins for the current Nerazzurri boss. Tonight will be Rossi's 20th encounter with Inter in the top division and he's only registered one win so far (in 2004 with Lecce) against four ties and 14 losses.
REFEREE AND DISCIPLINE
Luca Banti has refereed 164 Serie A matches and this is his fourth in 2015/16. He is yet to award a penalty kick or pull out his red card this season. Banti has taken more Inter matches than any other team in Serie A (23). The Nerazzurri's record with him in charge is 14 victories, six draws and three defeats.
Bologna have come across Banti 13 times in the top league, picking up five wins, five losses and thee draws.
Banti has already overseen two matches between Bologna and Inter in Serie A: a 3-0 Nerazzurri win at the San Siro in April 2010 and a 1-1 draw at the Dall'Ara in November 2013.
Bologna have committed the least number of fouls this season (108), followed by Sampdoria (121) and then Inter (122).
SUSPENDED:
Bologna: N/A
Inter: Murillo (1)
RISKING SUSPENSION:
Bologna: Destro
Inter: Melo, Guarin
