After a largely routine opening for the majority of the Serie A elite, their title credentials will be put to very early tests with many protagonists facing each other or having very awkward looking encounters. So here we go…
After a tricky away opener, no other side lost fewer home games (two) than Juventus in the top flight last season. However, the first of those defeats came against Saturday’s opponents, Lazio
For the capital side, Ciro Immobile scored a brace in his last league match against Juventus at the Juventus Stadium. The Italian striker has been directly involved in 65 goals (53 goals, 12 assists) in 70 appearances for Lazio in Serie A.
Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti oversaw 420 games as AC Milan’s manager in all competitions. He will face the Rossoneri for the 10th time in Serie A (W4 D3 L2).
AC Milan have only lost one of their last nine away league games since the start of 2018 (W5 D3). The Rossoneri have scored in each match in this time.
In a potential early relegation six-pointer, SPAL and Parma will face off for the first time in Serie A, how,ever they met in 16 matches in Serie B; Parma lead the head-to-head with six wins to SPAL’s five (D5). The last time that Parma’s Roberto Inglese scored two or more goals in the same match in the league was back in November 2017 against SPAL.
In the eight previous Serie A matches between Cagliari and Sassuolo, both teams have won two games each (D4). Among teams in the top flight last season, only Verona (12) have scored fewer goals than Cagliari (15) and Sassuolo (17) in the 2018 calendar year. This could well see a stalemate, yawn!
In the 14 previous league meetings in Florence, Fiorentina and Chievo have never drawn – The hosts lead the head-to-head with 11 wins (including each of the last six) against Chievo’s three victories.
The Flying Donkeys are slow staters of late and have scored 11 of their last 13 goals in Serie A in the second half of their games.
In the nine previous games between Frosinone and Bologna, including games played in Serie A, Serie B and the Coppa Italia, both teams have won three times (D3). Goals may be in short supply for the promoted side as no Frosinone player has more Serie A goals to his name than Stipe Perica (10) – however, the Croatian player hasn’t scored in any of his last 19 appearances, his worst ever streak in the competition.
Genoa open their season account on home soil and will hope to start with a win as they have only lost two of their last 18 Serie A games on their own turf against newly promoted teams (W8 D8). Interestingly, visitors Empoli scored 50 second half goals in the Serie B last season (more than any other team) – on the other hand, Genoa are the team that have conceded most goals, in percentage, in the same period in the Serie A 2017/18 (67%).
Over in Milan, only once in their Serie A history have Inter lost both of their first two opening league games – back in 1983/84. Title aspirations may hinge on bouncing back quickly. Torino have scored in each of their last four away matches against their hosts in Serie A – though, the Granata have never found the net in five consecutive league games against the Nerazzurri at the San Siro.
Udinese have scored more goals against Sampdoria (who we also warmly welcome to the new season after missing last weekend) in Serie A than they have against any other side (109). The Blucerchiati lead with 30 wins to 21 for Udinese in 74 total games in Serie A (D23).
Excluding relegated sides, no team lost more games in Serie A last season than Udinese (11). This will need to change if they are to avoid the wrong end of the table.
In last season’s campaign, only Bologna (23) and Benevento (22) lost more points from leading positions than Sampdoria (20). Concentration is key.
Roma are without a win at the Stadio Olimpico against Atalanta in their last four league matches there (D2 L2). In fact, Roma haven’t beaten their visitors at home since 2014.
Atalanta talisman Alejandro Gomez has netted four goals against Roma in Serie A, only against Chievo has he scored more (five goals). El Papu has also started this season in flying form, scoring two and assisting the other two of La Dea’s four goals against Frosinone in their opening game.
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com