Inter's year: the 2019/2020 season in numbers

MILAN - This season lasted 361 days: from a 4-0 home win over Lecce on the first day of the Serie A campaign on 26 August 2019, all the way to that wretched loss to Sevilla in the Europa League final on 21 August 2020. A unique year, heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and the suspension of all sporting competitions between March and June. It was a long and difficult journey, one which saw both joy and heartbreak all the way to the end, but one that saw Inter fighting on all fronts right up until the closing stages: second place in the league, Coppa Italia semi-finalists and Europa League runners-up.

Inter played 54 games in the 2019/20 season, taking to the pitch in five different countries, 23 different cities and 24 different stadiums. The Nerazzurri scored 113 goals, a new Club record across all competitions in a single season since Serie A took on a round-robin format in the 1929/30 season: surpassing the number of goals scored in the 2006/07 and 1950/51 seasons.

GAMESWINSDRAWSDEFEATSGOALS SCOREDGOALS CONCEDEDCLEAN SHEETSSerie A3824104813614Europa League65011553Champions League62131091Coppa Italia4211740TOTAL54331291135418

113 GOALS WITH19 DIFFERENT GOALSCORERS 19 Inter players got on the scoresheet this season:

1. Romelu Lukaku 34 2. Lautaro Maritnez 21 3. Antonio Candreva 7 4. Danilo D'Ambrosio 5 5. Nicolò Barella 4      Stefan de Vrij 4     Christian Eriksen 4     Roberto Gagliardini 4     Alexis Sanchez 4     Ashley Young 4 11. Marcelo Brozovic 3       Cristiano Biraghi 3       Stefano Sensi 3       Borja Valero 3       Matias Vecino 3 16. Borja Valero 2       Diego Godin 2 18. Sebastiano Esposito 1       Andrea Ranocchia 1

Inter‘s top scorer this season was Romelu Lukaku; in addition to setting a personal best for goals, the Belgian striker equalled Ronaldo’s record (from the 1997/98 season) for goals scored in a debut season with the Nerazzurri. Lukaku scored 34 goals from 69 shots on target in 51 games: 23 goals in Serie A, seven in the Europa League, two in the Champions League and two in the Coppa Italia. Lukaku scored in 26 separate matches, eleven of which were match-winning.

Lukaku scored 15 goals away from home in the league, equalling the Club’s record for away goals in a single season (Istvan Nyers in 1949/50).

Inter scored more headed goals in all competitions than any other team in Europe’s Top-5 leagues: 26.

Alexis Sanchez and Marcelo Brozovic, both on nine, were the Club’s leading assist-makers. Antonio Candreva is behind them on eight, Biraghi on seven, with Lukaku and Barella on six.

APPEARANCES, MINUTES PLAYED AND POSSESSION

Romelu Lukaku made the most appearances of any Inter player this season, 51 games out of a possible 53. He is followed by Lautaro Martinez (49), Handanovic (48), Brozovic and de Vrij (both 46).

PIn terms of total minutes played, the podium is thus: 4,585 Handanovic, 4,425 Lukaku, 4,260 de Vrij.

In the Nerazzurri’s 54 games, they maintained an average possession of the football of 52%, completing 85% of their passes.

SERIE A: SECOND PLACE AND THE BEST DEFENCE

24 wins, ten draws and four defeats: the Nerazzurri’s record saw them finish the campaign with 82 points in second place, just behind Juventus on 83. Inter performed well both up top and at the back: 81 goals scored, the Club’s best season since 1951/52 (86), and 36 goals conceded - making Inter the best defence in the league. Furthermore, the Nerazzurri kept 14 clean sheets and allowed the least shots on goal in the league (120).

Inter won 13 games away from home in Serie A, the best away record in the league this season. The Nerazzurri took 43 points on their travels, with four draws and just two defeats.

INTER IN EUROPE

Inter played 12 games in Europe: six apiece in both the Champions League and Europa League, with the bitter end in the final. They had a record of seven wins, one draw and four defeats, with 25 goals scored and 14 conceded.

Romelu Lukaku became the first ever player to score in six consecutive games in European knockout rounds since Cristiano Ronaldo between 2012 and 2013. Lukaku also set a new record for scoring in consecutive games in the UEFA Cup/Europa League, beating Alan Shearer (eight in 2005 with Newcastle).