Inter Stats: the facts and figures ahead of Fiorentina vs. Inter

Team

— Feb 5th 2021

3 MIN READING

The fun facts that you need to know ahead of the Nerazzurri's 21st fixture of the Serie A season

MILAN – Inter and Prandelli’s Fiorentina side will kick off matchday 21 in Serie A when they face each other at the Stadio Artemio Franchi at 20:45 CET on Friday 5 February. The Nerazzurri currently sit in second place on 44 points with the best attack (49 goals scored) and the fourth-best defence (23 conceded) in the league. The Viola, meanwhile, have picked up 22 points so far and are heading into the game on the back of a draw against Torino. The upcoming showdown will be the third time that the teams have met so far this season, with Inter having beaten Fiorentina in the league (4-3) and at the round of 16 stage of the Coppa Italia (2-1 after extra time).

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS

Inter and Fiorentina are set to meet for the 166th time in Serie A, with the Nerazzurri’s record against the Viola reading as follows: 67 wins, 54 draws, 44 defeats. The Nerazzurri are unbeaten in seven games against the Viola in the Italian top flight (W3, D4): their last defeat came in April 2017, when they lost 5-4 at the Franchi.

Inter are the team that Fiorentina have played the most matches against in Serie A (165). The Viola haven’t tasted defeat in their last six games against the Nerazzurri on home turf (W3, D3). Inter’s last win in Florence in the league came in February 2014.

STATE OF PLAY

Fiorentina have picked up 22 points in the league so far, which is also the tally that separates the two sides. The Nerazzurri’s 4-0 victory over Benevento allowed them to consolidate second place in the league and their status as the division’s top scorers (49). Furthermore, only Juventus (18), Napoli (19) and Hellas Verona (21) have conceded fewer goals than Inter (23).

Antonio Conte’s team have now kept three consecutive clean sheets in Serie A. In the last three seasons, the Nerazzurri have only gone more consecutive fixtures without conceding on one occasion: the four-game streak to finish off last season. As regards the attacking side of things, while Inter are leading the way on 49, only Parma (14) have found the net less than Fiorentina this season (21). Fiorentina’s 22-point haul is their worst return at this stage of a Serie A campaign since 2001/02, a season which saw the Viola suffer relegation from the Italian top flight.

PLAYER FOCUS

Romelu Lukaku (14) and Lautaro Martínez (10) have scored a total of 24 goals in Serie A this season, three more than the whole of the Fiorentina squad. Romelu Lukaku’s next start will be his 50th in Serie A. The Belgian could also reach 300 goals across his club and senior international career (he currently sits on 298).

Lautaro Martínez bagged a brace against Fiorentina earlier on in the season. Previously, he’d failed to find the net in three matches against the Viola in the Italian top flight.