MILAN – Lazio and Inter face off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome tonight in what will be their 146th meeting in the top flight.
With the help of our friends at Opta, we've put together all the stats you need to know ahead of the 20:45 kick-off.
HEAD TO HEADS
Lazio – together with AC Milan – are the team that Inter have drawn most Serie A games with (52).
Despite that statistic, there has been just one draw in the last 15 league encounters between these two sides. In the same period there have been eight Nerazzurri wins and six for the Biancocelesti.
Lazio have scored at least once in each of their last 11 Serie A matches against Inter.
1-1 is the most common scoreline when Lazio and Inter meet in the league. It's occurred 28 times, the most recent being in March 2008.
There have been 14 0-0 draws between Biancocelesti and Nerazzurri. The last one came in November 2005, in Rome.
Lazio's two heaviest defeats in Serie A have both come at the hands of Inter: 8-1 in March 1934 and 7-0 in March 1961.
The last two league fixtures have seen four red cards produced: three for Lazio and one for Inter.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS IN ROME
A brace by former Lazio man Hernanes helped Inter claim all three points the last time Inter visited the Olimpico, on 10 May, ending a run of four straight wins for the hosts in this fixture.
FORM BOOK
Simone Inzaghi's side have lost the last two league outings scoring just one goal, after winning the previous two when they scored five and didn't concede any.
Lazio haven't lost three on the bounce in Serie A since last November.
The Biancocelesti have alternated wins and defeats in their last seven home matches in the league. They beat Empoli 2-0 last time they played at the Olimpico.
Roberto Mancini's men have failed to score just once in their last eight outings (against Genoa), picking up 16 points in that time (averaging two points per game). Only Juventus (24) and Roma (18) have done better in the same period.
Despite this run of form, the Nerazzurri have triumphed just once in their last eight away trips, collecting six total points in the process. Their only clean sheet on the road in those eight matches came at Frosinone.
GENERAL STATS
No team in the top five European leagues has won more games than Inter (19) with just 47 goals scored. Manchester United have lost as many as the Nerazzurri (nine) conceding fewer (30 versus 32).
Lazio are the Serie A side that concedes the most goals in relation to the number of shots they allow (one goal every 7.85 shots). Inter, on the other hand, let in a goal every 13.6 efforts on goal, the second highest after Juventus (17.2).
The Biancocelesti hit the back of the net once for every 2.9 shots in the frame of the goal (lower only than Roma and Chievo), yet manage to get just 37% of their finishes on target – only Frosinone have aimed worse.
Lazio have put in more crosses from open play (755) than any other team in Serie A this term but have notched just five goals from crosses; only Empoli (four) have scored fewer..
The Biancocelesti have let in 11 goals in the opening 15 minutes of play in 2015/16 – the highest figure in Serie A. After Roma (31), Lazio are the most prolific side in the last half an hour (30 goals).
In contrast, the Nerazzurri have let in 38% of their goals (12 of 32) in the final 15 minutes of play – in percentage terms the highest in the league.
Lazio substitutes have weighed in with eight goals in home games this season, more than any other top-flight outfit.
The capital club are the only Serie A team with no defenders on the scoresheet this season.
The Biancocelesti have dropped just two points at home after taking the lead in 2015/16 (a joint record with Juventus). Inter have never come from behind to win away from the Meazza.
After Torino (11), Lazio are the team that have been awarded the most penalties this season (nine). One of those came in the reverse fixture, when Handanovic denied Candreva from 12 yards.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE PLAYERS
Nine of Lazio's last 10 goals have been scored or set up by Antonio Candreva or Miroslav Klose.
Inter were the opposition when Antonio Candreva made his Serie A bow in January 2008 (Udinese 0-0 Inter). The Italy wideman has netted four career goals against the Nerazzurri (three in his last two games); against no other side has he scored more.
Candreva is the second-highest crosser of the ball in Serie A this season with 197 deliveries, behind Sime Vrsaljko on 206.
Lazio have won their last three league games when Miroslav Klose has started, the German striker contributing two doubles and two assists to the cause. Klose settled two of the last three meetings with Inter at the Olimpico, bagging the winner in the last 10 minutes.
Felipe Anderson's first brace in Italy came against Inter in December 2014. The Brazilian hasn't scored at the Olimpico since February (against Verona).
Ogenyi Onazi netted his first Serie A goal in Inter 1-3 Lazio three years ago, in May 2013.
Mauro Icardi has been involved in five of Inter's last seven league goals, scoring three and setting up two. Among players to have reached double figures this term, Icardi has the second highest shots-to-goals ratio (30%) after Mandzukic (31%). Next come Bacca (28%) and Eder (26.5%).
Eder opened his Nerazzurri account against Udinese after going 10 games without a goal. His next Serie A goal will see him reach the half-century mark. The Brazil-born Italian made his top-flight debut in Lazio 3-1 Empoli in March 2007. The Biancocelesti are the only Serie A team he has always lost against (seven times) without scoring.
Lazio are Adem Ljajic's favourite opponents. The Serb has notched four times against them including his first-ever Serie A goal in September 2010 while playing for Fiorentina.
Rodrigo Palacio has plundered seven goals in 11 meetings with Lazio, scoring more only against Parma (nine) in the top flight. The Argentine is yet to score against Lazio at the Olimpico in an Inter shirt.
All three Inter keepers have spent time at Lazio during their careers. Samir Handanovic made one appearance for the Biancocelesti in 2005/06, Juan Pablo Carrizo played 25 times in Serie A while Tommaso Berni turned out six times.
COACHES
Simone Inzaghi and Roberto Mancini are set to face off in opposite dugouts for the first time today. The current Lazio boss is both a former team-mate and a former player of Mancini.
Mancini played for Lazio from 1997 to 2000, winning a Scudetto, two Coppa Italias, an Italian Super Cup, a Cup Winners' Cup and a UEFA Super Cup. He then guided the Biancocelesti to Coppa Italia success in 2003/04.
This season's reverse fixture was the first time Roberto Mancini had lost to Lazio as Inter coach after ten unbeaten games (five wins and five draws).
REFEREE AND DISCIPLINE
Luca Banti is overseeing his 176th Serie A match this evening, his 16th of the season. The away team has won six times under Banti in 2015/16, the home side five times and there have been four draws. He has awarded just one penalty so far, fewer than all other referees who have officiated at least three times. The Livorno-born ref took charge of a seven-goal thriller at San Siro in May 2007, Inter 4-3 Lazio, when he sent off Siviglia for the away side.
Banti has overseen 24 Serie A matches involving Inter (more – 25 – only with Roma). The Nerazzurri have won 15, drawn six and lost three under his charge.
Lazio have crossed paths with Banti 13 times (W3, D3, L3).
Only Napoli (414) have committed more fouls than Inter (462) in Serie A this season, yet the Nerazzurri have seen the second-most sendings-off (10) after Atalanta (14).
SUSPENDED
Lazio: -
Inter: -
ONE BOOKING AWAY FROM SUSPENSION
Lazio: Biglia, Gentiletti, Hoedt, Keita.
Inter: Handanovic, Jovetic, Perisic, Telles.
