These two coaches have faced off five times before today, with three wins for Mazzarri, one draw and one victory for Maran.

Walter Mazzarri has pitted his wits against Catania on 17 previous occasions, winning eight, drawing five and losing four.

This is Rolando Maran's fourth meeting with Inter as a coach and so far he has always lost against the Nerazzurri.

Inter are one of just two Serie A sides yet to have been awarded a penalty this season, a record they share with Chievo Verona. The statistic is particularly incredible for Mazzarri's men, considering that they boast the league's fourth-best attack (38 goals). The Nerazzurri's last spot-kick was on 8 May: Alvarez missed from 12 yards in Inter 1-3 Lazio, 22 championship games ago.

The Nerazzurri are currently enjoying a seven-match unbeaten run at home in competitive fixtures (won four, drawn three), their last defeat in San Siro coming at the hands of Roma (0-3 on 5 October 2013). Inter haven't gone this long without losing on home turf since the period from September 2012 to February 2013, when they put together 11 wins and 5 draws for a 16-game streak without defeat.

Rodrigo Palacio and Esteban Cambiasso have scored ten goals between them against Catania, meaning that today's visitors are the Argentine pair's second favourite target in Italy: they have netted six and four times respectively against the Sicilian team. Their favourite victims of all are Parma for the striker (nine), and Fiorentina for the midfielder (six).

Catania haven't tasted victory on the road since they overcame Parma 1-2 on 24 February 2013 in a Serie A meeting. In their 16 away trips since then, they have managed just three draws and 13 defeats (10 in the last 10) and have failed to pick up a single point outside Sicily all season: their last was against Torino on 19 May (2-2). Catania have also conceded in 13 consecutive away games, shipping 34 goals in the process: their last clean sheet came in a 0-0 stalemate at Chievo Verona on 14 April 2013.

MILAN - The game between Inter and Catania ended scoreless, with both president Erick Thohir and Massimo Moratti watching in the stands. There were plenty of chances but the Nerazzurri lacked the clinical finishing necessary in front of goal. 

Walter Mazzarri fielded a three-man defence of Campagnaro, Rolando and Juan Jesus in front of Handanovic in goal. Jonathan, Kuzmanovic, Cambiasso and Nagatomo lined up in midfield, and Alvarez and Palacio supported Milito in attack. 

Inter were the ones to force the action, as Catania sat back and waited to counter. On 17 minutes Campagnaro was the victim of an obvious shirt pull by Bellusci on a corner kick. Nine minutes later it took a great save from Catania’s keeper to deny Milito’s right-footed grass-cutter. The first half then ended scoreless.

In the 53rd minute a lovely long pass from Cambiasso picked out Milito, who got a toe to the ball but couldn’t quite tuck it away. Still, Milito, Palacio and Alvarez continued to push forward, with even Rolando contributing to the attack now and then. However, the Nerazzurri couldn’t summon the necessary solidity and clinical finishing needed to put the game away and had to content themselves with a solitary point from this scoreless draw.

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