MILAN – Inter are in Verona today for a lunchtime match against Hellas. The Serie A Week 24 fixture at the Stadio Bentegodi is due to kick off at 12:30 CET.
With the help of Opta, we bring you all the numbers you need to know about the game.
HEAD TO HEAD
Today's is the 54th Serie A game between these two sides. Inter have won 30 of those past meetings, with Verona claiming victory four times and 19 draws.
Inter are the team that Verona have drawn (19) and lost (30) most games against in Serie A.
Hellas are without a league win in 13 matches against the Nerazzurri. They have picked up just two points since winning 1-0 in 1992, conceding in every game in that period and failing to score on eight occasions.
There have been 12 goalless draws between these two sides – the most common scoreline when they have met. The last 0-0 dates back to March 1990 at San Siro.
PAST MATCHES IN VERONA
Verona's only four victories against Inter in the Italian top fight have all been achieved on home soil. The Nerazzurri have won 14 times in Verona while the spoils have been shared eight times.
Hellas have collected a single point in their last six home games against Inter, scoring just three times while conceding 13 to the Nerazzurri.
The Gialloblu have drawn blanks in their last three home matches against Inter in Serie A.
SUNDAY LUNCH
Verona have been involved in a Sunday lunchtime kick-off ten times, keeping a clean sheet just once. They are winless in their last four 12:30 kick-offs (D2, L2).
The Nerazzurri's record in 15 lunchtime fixtures reads W8, D3, L4. They have kept clean sheets in seven of their ten away matches at 12:30, letting in three goals in each of the other three games.
Inter have already crossed the white line at the Bentegodi twice at 12:30 on a Sunday, beating Chievo 1-0 on both occasions.
FORM BOOK
Verona beat Atalanta on Wednesday to record their first league win of the season at the 23rd attempt. Only Varese, in 1971/72, and Ancona, in 2003/04, have taken longer to claim their first three points in a Serie A campaign (Week 29).
The Gialloblu have conceded in 18 consecutive league games at the Bentegodi while failing to score in five of their last eight matches in front of their own fans.
Twelve of Inter's 13 wins this season have come with a clean sheet (the only exception being Carpi, 2-1). They have won ten games by a 1-0 scoreline.
Roberto Mancini's men drew a blank in last Sunday's derby with AC Milan having previously found the net in 14 successive away fixtures. The last time Inter failed to score in back to back Serie A matches was January 2014.
GENERAL STATS
Hellas Verona have drawn more league matches than any other team in 2015/16 – 11.
Today sees a match-up between Serie A's worst attack (Verona, 16 goals) and the second-best defence (Inter, 17 goals conceded).
Verona's top scorer is Giampaolo Pazzini with just four goals to his name. No other team's main marksman has such a low tally.
After Empoli (10), Verona are the team that have conceded most headed goals in Serie A this year (nine). Inter have let in the fewest (one).
Hellas have scored just one goal from outside this box this season (none from open play) – no other side has done worse.
Verona and Inter are two of the three teams (the other is Udinese) who haven't scored in the first 15 minutes of play yet this season.
The Nerazzurri have only scored twice from crosses in 2015/16 – less than any other Serie A team.
69% (11 of 16) Gialloblu goals have come from set pieces, the highest percentage in the league.
Verona are the Serie A side that has dropped most points at home after being in a winning position (nine).
PLAYERS
Giampaolo Pazzini spent 18 months at Inter, from January 2011 to summer 2012, scoring 16 goals in 50 league matches. The striker found the net against Inter while playing for Atalanta, Fiorentina and Sampdoria (three in total), all before joining the Nerazzurri. Pazzini has scored three of Verona's last four league goals while three of the Gialloblu's last five have been assisted by Pawel Wszolek.
Matteo Bianchetti and Luca Siligardi came through the Nerazzurri youth ranks but never made their Serie A debuts with Inter. Siligardi played twice in the Coppa Italia.
Luca Toni has faced Inter 19 times in the league notching six goals, only one of which has come in the last seven games. Last season he had two penalties saved by Samir Handanovic.
Mauro Icardi, who scored his 50th Serie A goal against Chievo in midweek, has put three past Verona in his last three games against them. Icardi had six shots against Chievo (excluding blocked efforts), at least double the amount he managed in any other match this season. Currently on nine goals for the campaign, Icardi has earned the points for Inter in four 1-0 victories term, three of which came away from home.
Eder, currently Serie A's second top scorer, didn't find the net in his first two league outings for Inter. He hasn't gone three Serie A games without scoring since October. Eder scored and set up a goal both times he played against Verona in a Sampdoria shirt this season.
Rodrigo Palacio has scored three and set up three in his four league meetings with the Gialloblu.
Adem Ljajic, without a goal in eight games, made his Nerazzurri debut in the reverse fixture against Hellas. He scored in both matches against Hellas in 2013/14 with Roma, the first of which was his Giallorossi debut.
Vaggelis Moras scored his first Serie A goal in Inter 2-1 Bologna in October 2008. His first and so far only sending off also came against the Nerazzurri, at San Siro in October 2013, while playing for Verona.
Eros Pisano made his Serie A bow in Palermo 4-3 Inter in September 2011.
COACHES
Roberto Mancini has beaten Luigi Delneri in 50% of past encounters (six out of 12), while the Friulian coach has won three and there have been three draws.
Mancini has never drawn a match against Verona in Serie A: he lost twice while at Fiorentina and has won three times with Inter.
Delneri is taking on Inter for the 21st time in his coaching career (W6, D6, L8). He is unbeaten against the Nerazzurri in his last five league games (W3, D2) with Sampdoria, Juventus and Genoa.
REFEREE AND DISCIPLINE
Piero Giacomelli takes charge of his 63rd Serie A match today, his 11th this season. After Massimiliano Irrati, he has the lowest yellow card average (one every eight fouls) among referees who have overseen at least two games in 2015/16.
In the 10 league matches officiated by Giacomelli this season, the home side has won six times, the away team twice and there have been two draws.
Hellas' record with Giacomelli as referee is W2, D2, L2. This season he oversaw their 1-2 home defeat to Lazio, when he awarded a penalty to the Biancocelesti but also sent a Lazio man off.
Inter meet the match official from Trieste for the first time in an away game. Giacomelli has officiated the Nerazzurri at San Siro three times, with Inter recording a win (1-0 against Genoa in December 2015, Danilo D'Ambrosio sent off), a draw and a defeat.
SUSPENDED
Verona: -
Inter: Miranda (1).
ONE BOOKING AWAY FROM A SUSPENSION
Verona: Marrone, Moras, Pazzini, Souprayen.
Inter: Kondogbia, Medel, Melo.
