MILAN – The Nerazzurri have a Saturday night clash to contend with again this week as they head to the Stadio Friuli to take on Stefano Colantuono’s Udinese side at 20:45 CET this evening.
In collaboration with Opta, we’ve compiled a list of the need-to-know stats behind the contest to make sure you’re ready for kick-off:
HEAD TO HEAD
There have been 84 past meetings between Inter and Udinese in Serie A for a record of 39 Nerazzurri wins, 25 draws and 20 wins for Udinese.
Inter and Udinese have only drawn once in their last 14 Serie A meetings. Aside from that there have been eight wins for the Nerazzurri and five for the Friulian outfit.
Last season, both meetings were won 2-1 by the away side.
The most frequent final scoreline between Inter and Udinese in Serie A is a 1-1 draw (it’s happened 13 times, with the last one happening at the Meazza in August 2007).
PREVIOUS MEETINGS IN UDINE
The Nerazzurri have won 17 out of 42 Serie A matches away at Udinese.
Udinese have only won two out of their last 12 home matches against Inter in the league (the Nerazzurri have won six and there have been a further four draws).
Inter’s 6-0 win at Udinese in October 1960 is still the Friulian outfit’s biggest home defeat in Serie A.
FORM
Udinese’s defeat by Fiorentina last time out put an end to a run of two consecutive wins. Udinese haven’t won three matches on the spin since September 2014.
Udinese are unbeaten at the Stadio Friuli in four league matches (two wins, two draws), having lost their previous six games on their own patch.
Udinese have kept three clean sheets in a row in the league, but haven’t strung four together at home since October 2011.
Inter have won five of their last six league matches, losing the other. They have kept clean sheets in all five victories (but conceded two in the defeat to Napoli).
Roberto Mancini’s men have scored in their last 11 away matches on the bounce in Serie A, but have scored only once in each of their last six away games.
Inter have 14 points on the road this season, more than any other team.
GENERAL STATS
Inter have the best defence in the league with just nine goals conceded, a full ten goals under the Serie A average (19). The Nerazzurri are also the side to have conceded the fewest goals in the first half (four) and second half (five).
Inter are also the only team not to have conceded a single headed goal so far this season.
Roberto Mancini’s side have conceded no goals from opposing defenders and only two goals from opposing midfielders – both stats are the best in the league.
Inter and Napoli are the only sides not to have conceded from outside of the area.
Udinese and Sampdoria are the two sides with the fewest different scorers so far this season (five), while Inter have had the second most different scorers (11). Roma lead the way with 12.
Neither Inter nor Udinese have scored a single goal in the first 15 minutes of a Serie A match so far this season, though Udinese have scored the second-most goals in the last 15 minutes of the match with five (Napoli have scored six).
Inter have won ten of the 11 games in which they have taken the lead, drawing the other. That’s the best record in Serie A.
PLAYERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Both Cyril Thereau (three goals, one assist) and Adem Ljajic (two goals, two assists) have actively participated in four of their side’s last five goals. The young Serbian forward has scored in his last two Serie A matches, but has never scored in three consecutive league games. Of the players that have made at least ten appearances this season, Ljajic and Miralem Pjanic have created the most chances per game (2.6 on average).
Mauro Icardi has scored twice in five games against Udinese, with both goals coming for Inter last season.
Considering goalkeepers that have made more than three appearances in the five main European leagues this season, Samir Handanovic has the highest save percentage (85%). Udinese were Handanovic’s first club in Italy: he made his Serie A debut in 2005 before manning the sticks for the Friulian outfit between 2007 and 2012 (182 league games for the club).
Giovanni Pasquale’s journey took the opposite route to Handanovic’s – he came through the Nerazzurri youth ranks, making 36 Serie A appearances for Inter between 2002 and December 2004.
Felipe is another man who has played for both Inter and Udinese. Last season he made four appearances for Mancini’s side, before rejoining Udinese.
Udinese are Stevan Jovetic’s preferred opponents in Serie A. He’s scored five goals in six games against the Friulian club, but none have come in Udinese’s back yard.
If he plays tonight, Juan Jesus will make his 50th away appearance for Inter and his 98th appearance overall for the club. The defender scored his first and only Serie A goal against Udinese on 19 May 2013.
Antonio Di Natale has scored eight league goals against Inter in the league, five of which have come in the last six meetings between the two sides at the Friuli. This season, Di Natale has scored just once in 13 appearances, but he’s laid on three assists. Di Natale has reached double figures in each of his last nine Serie A seasons (he’s reached that milestone ten times in total). The Italian is one of just nine players to have reached double figures in ten Serie A seasons.
Silvan Widmer has – along with Higuain and Vazquez – hit the woodwork the most times this season, with three from eight shots.
Inter are Patagonios Kone’s preferred victim in Serie A. The former Bologna player has scored two goals against the Nerazzurri so far, making them the only team he’s scored more than one goal against.
Rodrigo Palacio will make his 200th Serie A appearance if he plays against Udinese tonight. The Argentine is yet to score this season.
Maurizio Domizzi hasn’t scored since Udinese’s 5-2 win over Inter in Milan in May 2013.
Bruno Fernandes made his Serie A debut in November 2013, when Inter beat Udinese 3-0 away. He scored against the Nerazzurri when they visited the Stadio Friuli last season.
COACHES
Roberto Mancini has won eight of his 16 Serie A matches against Udinese. Mancini has also drawn six and lost two.
Stefano Colantuono has gone toe-to-toe with Inter on 11 occasions, winning three, drawing three and losing three of those matches. Colantuono has never got the better of Mancini, however. They have done battle four times, with two Mancini wins on top of two draws.
REFEREE AND DISCIPLINE
Davide Massa will referee his 63rd Serie A match tonight, his seventh of the season.
Massa refereed an Udinese v Inter match in November 2013, with the Nerazzurri winning 3-0 at the Stadio Friuli on that occasion.
Massa has taken charge of Udinese on seven occasions in Serie A, but the Friulian side have only won two of those matches (two draws, three defeats). Udinese’s last win under Massa came in October 2012.
Inter have a better league record under Massa: five wins, one draw and two defeats. This season, Massa refereed Inter’s away match at Carpi, which finished 2-1 to the Nerazzurri with Massa awarding Inter a penalty.
Inter have committed the fewest fouls this Serie A season, with 188.
SUSPENDED:
Udinese: Danilo (one match), Felipe (one match).
Inter: D’Ambrosio (one match).
AT RISK OF SUSPENSION:
Udinese: Ali Adnan, Wague.
Inter: Kondogbia, Medel, Melo.
