Lecce vs Inter: five fun facts about Matchday one

MILAN - The new Serie A season begins with Inter facing newly-promoted side Lecce at the stadio "Via del Mare" on Saturday 13 August at 20:45 CEST. It's a top-flight clash that was last seen two years ago. Ahead of the game, here are five fun facts between the two sides

GAME NUMBER 33 IN SERIE A

Lecce and Inter have met each other 32 times in Serie A. The Nerazzurre have 32 wins against the Giallorossi's four; there have also been four draws. Inter are the team that Lecce have lost most against in Serie A (24), as well as conceding the most goals (75). In the first half of the season, the two sides have faced each other 16 times: 13 wins for Inter, two draws and one win for the side from Apulia.

BASTONI'S FIRST GOAL

Inter's last meeting with Lecce was also the last time out at the stadio "Via del Mare". On 19 January 2022, Inter opened up the second half of their 2019/20 campaign with a 1-1 draw away from home, with Alessandro Bastoni heading home to get his first goal in Nerazzurri shirt.

LECCE ON THE OPENING DAY

Inter will face Lecce on the opening day of the season for only the second time in its history. The first was back in the 2019/2020 season, the last one in the top flight for the Giallorossi. Inter opened up the season with a 4-0 win on 26 August 2019 with goals from Brozovic, Sensi, Candreva and Romelu Lukaku, on his Inter league debut. His second stint with the club will once again see Romelu open up against Lecce!

DZEKO, MKHITARYAN AND LECCE

Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan have between been involved in six goals against Lecce in Serie A. The Bosnian has scored two times and has one assist (to the Armenian), whilst Inter's new summer signing has one goal and two goal-providing assists (one of which was for the Bosnian).

LAUTARO AGAINST NEWLY-PROMOTED SIDES

Lautaro Martìnez netted seven times in six appearances against newly-promoted teams in the 2021/22 Serie A season. Five of these came in his last two games against teams promoted from Serie B; a double against Empoli and a hat-trick against Salernitana. Last season in Serie A, Lautaro scored 21 goals for the season becoming the sixth player in Inter's history to get at least 20 goals in a single season before his 25th birthday. The others were: Giuseppe Meazza, Stefano Nyers, Antonio Angelillo, Ronaldo and Mauro Icardi.

THE REFEREE

In charge of the opening match of the 2022/23 Serie A season will be Alessandro Prontera, from the section of Bologna.

Prontera will have Mondin and Rossi as his assistants with the Fourth Man being Marcenaro. Head of VAR will be Banti, with Paganessi as the Assistant VAR checker.