MILAN – Roberto Mancini's Nerazzurri welcome Stefano Pioli's Lazio to the San Siro at 20:45 CET tonight for the last competitive game of 2015.
To give you a little background, we've put together this collection of pre-match stats with the help of our friends at Opta.
HEAD TO HEAD
This is the 145th meeting between Inter and Lazio in the top flight. The Nerazzurri have claimed victory 59 times versus the Biancocelesti's 33 wins.
Lazio – along with AC Milan – are the team that Inter have drawn most Serie A games with (52).
However, only one of their last 14 top-flight meetings has ended all square. In that same period the Nerazzurri have won eight and Lazio five.
Lazio have scored in each of their last ten league matches with Inter.
1-1 is the most common scoreline between Lazio and Inter (28 times, the last in March 2008).
There have been 14 goalless draws in Serie A between Biancocelesti and Nerazzurri, the last of which coming in Rome in November 2005.
Lazio's biggest ever defeats in Serie A are the 8-1 and 7-0 scorelines inflicted on them by Inter, in March 1934 and March 1961 respectively.
PAST MEETINGS IN MILAN
Lazio have beaten Inter at the Meazza just eight times in 72 attempts in Serie A, with 40 Nerazzurri triumphs and 24 draws.
Inter have scored in their last 11 home games against the Biancocelesti, racking up 25 goals in the process (2.3 per match).
FORM
Inter haven't had 36 points after 16 matches since 2009/10 (when they last won the title). That year their haul was the result of 11 wins, three draws and two defeats, just like this season.
Roberto Mancini's side have recorded 11 clean sheets so far this year – a record in the top five European leagues shared with Angers (France).
Lazio have picked up just two points in their last seven league matches – their longest winless run since September-December 2009 (13 games).
Stefano Pioli's team have been defeated in their last four away games. They haven't lost five in a row on the road in Serie A since April 2012.
This year Lazio have conceded 17 goals in seven trips away from the Olimpico. Last season they let in 20 in all 19 away fixtures.
GENERAL STATS
Today's match brings together Serie A's best defence (Inter, nine conceded) and the second worst attack away from home (Lazio, four goals – one more than Frosinone).
The Biancocelesti have put in 327 crosses from open play so far this season – more than any other team in Serie A.
Inter are the only Serie A side yet to concede a headed goal in 2015/16.
Lazio share with Frosinone the record for most goals conceded from outside the box (seven), while Inter – along with Napoli – haven't conceded any from long range yet.
The Biancocelesti are the only top-flight team who haven't scored a goal in the first 15 minutes of either half. Together with Carpi, they have the worst defensive record in the first quarter of an hour (six conceded).
After Juventus (eight), Inter (seven) and Lazio (six) are the teams who have scored most goals in the last 15 minutes of games.
The Biancocelesti have got six substitutes on the scoresheet this season – more than any other team
Mancini's men have surrendered a winning position only once in 2015/16, against Palermo, losing two points. No team has done better.
PLAYERS
Rodrigo Palacio's next Serie A appearance will take him to the 200 mark, while Adem Ljajic is one away from his 150th top-flight match.
Palacio has hit the net seven times in ten Serie A games against Lazio (three in five with Inter). The only team he has scored more against is Parma (nine).
The Argentine is yet to get off the mark in the league this term. Last season he opened his account in December - against Lazio.
Ljajic scored his first-ever Serie A goal against Lazio (September 2010, Fiorentina 1-2 Lazio) and has plundered four goals in total against the Biancocelesti, making them his favourite top-flight victim.
The Serbian has had a hand in four of Inter's last nine goals, scoring twice and laying on two assists.
Jonathan Biabiany has completed one successful dribble for every 19 minutes spent on the pitch - the highest average of all players with at least three appearances this season.
Mauro Icardi bagged his first brace of the season against Udinese last weekend - his seventh in Serie A. In the same game Stevan Jovetic found the net for the first time in nine matches.
Icardi has six goals from 13 games this season. After the same number of matches last year he had scored seven, going on to end the campaign with 22.
Last season's joint topscorer in Serie A has the third-best shots-to-goals ratio among players who have had at least ten attempts in 2015/16 (35%), behind Gervinho (46%) and Bacca (39%).
Samir Handanovic is the Serie A goalkeeper who has made the most saves this season (60) after Emiliano Viviano (65).
Handanovic has previously played for Lazio – just one game (and a clean sheet) in the 2005/06 season.
Inter's second keeper, Juan Pablo Carrizo, also has a Lazio past: he made 25 Serie A appearances for the Biancocelesti.
When Inter and Lazio met at the Meazza last December, Felipe Anderson scored his first double in Italy having managed just one in his first 26 Serie A appearances. The Brazilian hasn't found the net in his last seven games.
Alessandro Matri is Serie A's best impact sub in the current campaign, scoring all three of his goals after coming off the bench.
Miro Klose is still waiting to open his account in 2015/16 after eight appearances. The only time he went nine consecutive Serie A matches without finding the net was between December 2012 and April 2013.
Antonio Candreva made his top-flight debut against the Nerazzurri in January 2008 (Udinese 0-0 Inter).
With 71 crosses to his name, Candreva is behind only Achraf Lazaar (Palermo), Alejandro Gomez (Atalanta) and Sime Vrsaljko (Sassuolo) for most deliveries put in this season.
The Lazio man has attempted 26 shots in 2015/16 but only hit the net once, giving him a shots-to-goals ratio of 3.9%. Among players who have scored at least once, only Hamsik has a worse record (3.6%).
Ogenyi Onazi broke his first Serie A duck in Inter 1-3 Lazio in May 2013.
COACHES
Roberto Mancini played for Lazio between 1997 and 2000, winning a Scudetto, two Coppa Italias and an Italian Super Cup. He also led the Biancocelesti to Coppa Italia success from the dugout in 2003/04.
Mancini has never lost to Lazio in ten Serie A encounters as the coach of Inter (W5, D5).
Stefano Pioli hasn't beaten Mancini in three previous top-flight meetings, drawing once and losing twice.
Pioli's Serie A record against Inter after nine games reads W3, D2, L4.
REFEREE AND DISCIPLINE
Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni will be officiating his 144th match in Serie A this evening, his seventh of the current campaign. He is yet to award a penalty this season.
Inter have recorded seven wins, four draws and three defeats with Mazzoleni in charge (Serie A only).
Lazio have won 11, drawn five and lost four Serie A matches with Mazzoleni overseeing proceedings. They have won the last three with this referee.
On 15 December 2012 the Nerazzurri were beaten 1-0 by Lazio at the Olimpico with Mazzoleni the man in black.
Inter are the team that has committed the fewest fouls in Serie A this season (203). However, their five sendings off puts them behind only Atalanta (nine) and Genoa (eight).
SUSPENDED
Inter: -
Lazio: -
ONE BOOKING AWAY FROM SUSPENSION
Inter: Kondogbia, Medel, Melo.
Lazio: Biglia, Lulic, Milinkovic-Savic.
