MILAN - Roberto Mancini's side host Sassuolo at 12:30 in their first home match of 2016. With the help of our friends at Opta, we preview the last match of the first half of the season.
PAST MEETINGS
Inter and Sassuolo have produced a total of 19 goals from their four meetings, 16 of which have been scored by Inter.
After losing their first three games against Inter without scoring, Sassuolo won the most recent encounter 3-1 last February.
Inter are the side who inflicted Sassuolo's two heaviest defeats in Serie A. Both matches finished 7-0, one at home in September 2013 and the other at San Siro in 2014.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS IN MILAN
The Nerazzurri have won both games between the sides in Milan, with eight goals for and none against.
SUNDAY LUNCHTIME
Inter have won three of their four league games with a 12:30 start at San Siro (one draw). Sassuolo, meanwhile, have lost three of the four matches they have played away at 12:30 in Serie A (just one victory against Torino).
This is the third time that Inter and Sassuolo will meet at 12:30 in Serie A. Both previous matches came at Mapei Stadium (one win apiece).
CURRENT FORM
Inter have won seven and lost two of their last nine league matches. Their last game not to finish in a result was a 1-1 draw at Palermo on 24 October.
Mancini’s side have kept seven clean sheets in that time, losing on both occasions in which they conceded.
The Nerazzurri lost their last home match against Lazio. They haven’t been beaten in two in a row in the league at San Siro since May 2013. Curiously the first of those two games was against the Biancocelesti.
Sassuolo come into the match on the back of a four-game unbeaten run albeit with three draws. Even with a match in hand, after 18 matches Sassuolo are still four points better off than at the same stage last season, while their total is 14 points higher than their tally in the Neroverdi’s debut season in the top flight.
Sassuolo have only won one of their last six games on their travels. Two draws and three losses make up the other five.
GENERAL STATISTICS
Nine of the Nerazzurri’s 12 league victories have finished 1-0 (including their last match away at Empoli). They have scored a single goal in 14 of their 18 Serie A games this season.
Inter have the highest number of clean sheets (12) across Europe’s five major championships.
Only three teams have conceded fewer goals than Inter’s 11 across Europe’s five main leagues, namely Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich (both 8) and Paris Saint-Germain (9).
The Nerazzurri have, however, allowed their opponents double the number of attempts on goal that Bayern have faced (76 compared with 37).
Only once in the last 26 seasons have Inter conceded so few goals (11) after 18 rounds of Serie A (11 in 2007/08).
Inter are the only side in Serie A yet to score with a header.
Sassuolo have scored fewer goals in the second halves of matches than any other side in the division. 16 of the Neroverdi’s 22 strikes this term have come in the opening 45 minutes, with just half a dozen after the break.
Sassuolo’s league goalscorers hail from just two different countries, Italy and France.
Inter have gone onto win every home match in which they’ve taken the lead this season. Sassuolo have lost all three away games in which they’ve fallen behind.
PLAYER FOCUS
Mauro Icardi is just one strike away from his 50th goal in Serie A. Having made 104 appearances in the top flight, Icardi currently averages 0.47 goals per game. The Argentine has a total of four goals against Sassuolo – he has only struck more against Juventus (six) in Serie A.
Nicola Sansone, meanwhile, has four goals from his five meetings with Inter in the league, making them his favourite opposition.
Mauro Icardi has contributed four of Inter’s last six goals to take his tally to eight this season from just 12 efforts on target. Icardi scores with 38.1% of his efforts on goal, the highest conversion rate among the players in Serie A with at least five goals.
Ivan Perisic has laid on goals for two games running for the first time in his Serie A career.
Samir Handanovic has the highest save rate in the division, keeping out 85% of the efforts he’s faced. The Slovenian has made 65 stops from 18 appearances.
Adem Ljajic’s last double in Serie A came against Sassuolo for Roma in December 2014.
Juan Jesus could make his 100th appearance in Serie A.
Alessandro Longhi, meanwhile, is one game shy of 50 in the Italian top flight.
Sime Vrsaljko has provided three of Sassuolo’s last seven league goals, equalling his tally from the entire 2014/15 campaign. He made his debut in Serie A against Inter in August 2013. The Croatian has provided more centres than anyone else in Sassuolo’s squad (91), 21 more than Alex Telles (70), the Nerazzurri’s top crosser.
Diego Falcinelli’s goal against Frosinone on Wednesday saw him become the 11th different scorer for Sassuolo this season. Only Roma (13) have had more players find the net in the league this season.
Sergio Floccari is the Neroverdi’s top scorer with four. He has struck twice against Inter in 14 games against the Nerazzurri in Serie A. He has, however, failed to find the net in his last eight against Inter.
Domenico Berardi has got on the scoresheet just twice this season, once from the penalty spot and once from a free-kick. The youngster last scored from open play in the league on 31 May 2015 against Genoa.
Antonio Floro Flores has only managed to score once against Inter from a dozen games against them over the course of his career.
Gregoire Defrel scored on his only appearance at San Siro to date. The Frenchman netted Cesena’s goal in the 1-1 draw at Inter in March last year.
COACHES
Eusebio Di Francesco won his only previous match-up against Roberto Mancini in Serie A on 1 February last year at Mapei Stadium.
February’s reverse is also the only time Mancini has faced Sassuolo as a coach. Di Francesco, meanwhile, had previously lost twice to Inter in the league.
REFEREES AND DISCIPLINE
Daniele Doveri is set to take charge of his 84th game in Serie A. He is yet to award a straight red card in eight matches this season.
Inter have won just one of their seven previous games with the official (four draws and two defeats).
The Nerazzurri have had four men sent off in their seven previous games officiated by Mr Doveri.
Sassuolo’s record with the referee stands at two wins, a draw and two losses.
SUSPENDED
Inter: Felipe Melo (2)
Sassuolo: Pellegrini (1)
SUSPENDED IF BOOKED
Inter: Kondogbia, Medel.
Sassuolo: Berardi, Cannavaro, Vrsaljko.
