Inter Stats: everything you need to know about Inter vs. Benevento
Team
— Jan 29th 2021All the numbers and statistics surrounding our next match in Serie A 2020/21
MILAN - After securing qualification for the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia thanks to their success in the derby, Inter are preparing to open the second half of the season by hosting Benevento, who drew with Torino last time out. Inzaghi's team, with 22 points in the standings, are 18 points better off (22 v 4) than at the same stage of their last season in Serie A (2017/18), while Inter come into this fixture with a streak of six straight home wins in the league.
HEAD TO HEAD
Inter have won all three of their meetings with Benevento in Serie A: 2-1 away in October 2017 thanks to a brace by Brozovic, 2-0 at home in February 2018 with goals from Skriniar and Rannocchia, and a comprehensive victory in the return fixture this season, with two goals for Lukaku and a goal each for Gagliardini, Hakimi, and Lautaro Martinez.
With this last match included, Inter have won on all four occasions that they have played against Benevento, with an aggregate scoreline of 15 goals scored and five conceded. Inter are one of the four teams present in both of Benevento’s seasons in Serie A against which the Campanians have always lost, along with Roma, Napoli, and Atalanta.
CURRENT FORM
Inter come into this challenge after their success in the Coppa Italia derby which allowed the Nerazzurri to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament. In the league, Conte's team is in second place in the standings on 41 points with a record of twelve wins, five draws and two defeats, 45 goals scored (best attack in the league) and 23 conceded. Since the resumption of the top five European leagues post lockdown, only Bayern Munich (80) have scored more goals than Inter (77). Inter have won their last six Serie A TIM home matches and have not reached seven in a row since December 2018.
As for Benevento, their 22 points in the standings mark a clear improvement compared to their last season in Serie A: Filippo Inzaghi's team have earned 18 points more (22 v 4) compared to what they achieved in 2017/18 after 19 games: in the era of three points for a win, this is the biggest improvement for a team in Serie A on their points total at the same stage of the previous season - on par with AC Milan in this year (43 points against 25 in 2019 / 20).
Benevento have lost in three of their last five league games (1W, 1D), after suffering only one defeat in the previous seven rounds in Serie A TIM (3W, 3D). The Campania team have scored 23 goals and have conceded 36. After having conceded 20 goals in their first seven matches, Inzaghi's team conceded only three in the following seven (until the end of 2020) and were the best defence in the league in that timeframe. 2021 has begun with 13 goals conceded in five games.
PLAYER FOCUS
Lautaro Martinez scored his first multiple goal tally for the Nerazzurri in a Coppa Italia match against Benevento in January 2019. the Argentine striker has scored seven goals in 13 appearances against newly promoted teams, including his only hattrick in the competition, against Crotone on January 3.
Also against Benevento, was the most recent of Marcelo Brozovic’s two Serie A braces, in October 2017, and the first brace for Romelu Lukaku in this year’s championship.
Benevento defender Luca Caldirola, who grew up in the Inter youth academies, made only one official appearance with the Nerazzurri: in the 2011/12 Champions League group stage against CSKA Moscow, with Claudio Ranieri at the helm.
COACHES
It is the second meeting between Filippo Inzaghi and Antonio Conte in Serie A, after the Nerazzurri coach’s success in their first encounter.
DISQUALIFIED AND CAUTIONED
INTER
DISQUALIFIED:
None
CAUTIONED:
Barella, Bastoni, Brozovic
BENEVENTO
DISQUALIFIED:
Sau - one match suspension
CAUTIONED:
Dabo, Foulon, Glik, Improta