The Numbers Game: Juve look to maintain Serie A form by making Derby d'Italia statement

By Sports Desk November 04, 2022

Massimiliano Allegri will expect Juventus to take the "anger" of their Champions League failure on Inter when they do battle in the Derby d'Italia on Sunday.

A 2-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday made it five defeats from six Group H games for Juve, but they will move into the Europa League after finishing in third place.

Allegri stated he expects his players to use the fury of falling short in the Champions League as fuel for the remainder of the season, and a victory at the Allianz Stadium would move them above Inter.

The sixth-placed Nerazzurri, who head into the weekend two points better off than Juve, had already qualified for the Champions League before they were beaten 2-0 at Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

Stats Perform picks out the standout Opta data to preview a showdown between two heavyweights of Italian football in Turin.

An upturn in Serie A fortunes for Juve

While Juve suffered another European loss in midweek, they have won three consecutive Serie A games without conceding a goal.

The last time they had four clean sheets in a row in the competition was in December 2018, when they won six matches in a row without conceding.

Allegri was also boosted by the return of long-term absentee Federico Chiesa from a knee injury as a substitute against PSG, a timely lift after it was revealed Paul Pogba will miss the World Cup. It remains to seen when Pogba will return.

 

Inter eyeing Derby d'Italia repeat

The Nerazzurri had won four consecutive games and gone seven without defeat before they came unstuck at Bayern.

Inter won three and drew one of four meetings between these two sides last season, beating the Bianconeri 1-0 away from home in Serie A in April.

They could win two Serie A meetings in a row against Juve for the first time since Alberto Zaccheroni was in charge in 2003-04, while the last time they won two such games in a single calendar year was back in 1987.

Juve building on strong foundations, youngsters doing their bit

While Juve have not started the season in the manner they would have liked, they have an excellent defensive record in Serie A.

In the top 10 European leagues this season, only Barcelona (four goals in 12 matches) and Benfica (five in 11) have conceded fewer goals than the seven Juve have shipped in 12 matches in the Italian top flight.

They also have the most players born since 2000 to be involved in at least one goal in Serie A this season with a total of five, with Dusan Vlahovic (seven), Moise Kean (one), Nicolo Fagioli (one), Fabio Miretti (one) and Samuel Iling-Junior (one) making their mark.

 

Inzaghi the scourge of Bianconeri

Inter's Simone Inzaghi has beaten Juventus seven times in 18 meetings in his coaching career, drawing twice. 

He has defeated the Bianconeri more times than any other coach since he took his first job in April 2016.

Inzaghi could become the second Inter coach to win two Serie A away matches against Juventus, after Helenio Herrera (three, between 1961 and 1965).

Related items

  • Juventus 1-1 Salernitana: Late Rabiot goal salvages home draw Juventus 1-1 Salernitana: Late Rabiot goal salvages home draw

    Juventus snatched a 1-1 draw at home to relegated Salernitana courtesy of a late Adrien Rabiot goal that cancelled out a first-half header from Niccolo Pierozzi in Serie A on Sunday.

    Juve are fourth on 67 points with two matches left, six points ahead of Atalanta, who have two games in hand.

    Salernitana shocked the Allianz Stadium as unmarked Pierozzi headed home after 27 minutes following a corner.

    But Juventus dominated the rest of the match and equalised in stoppage time when Rabiot slid the ball home at the back post after a corner was flicked on.

    Bottom side Salernitana were doomed to the drop last month.

    Juve play in the Italian Cup final against Atalanta on Wednesday in an effort to save a disappointing season and stop their winless streak at six matches in all competitions.

    Data Debrief: Another stalemate for Juve

    Juventus were grateful for a point come full-time, albeit it was a poor result in the grand scheme of things. Juve have now draw five successive matches in Serie A for the first time since between April and May 2009.

    In fact, only Heidenheim of the Bundesliga (10) have drawn more matches than Juventus have (nine from 18 games) across Europe's top five leagues in 2024.

  • Atletico Madrid 1-0 Celta Vigo: De Paul stunner keeps Simeone's side on course for Champions League Atletico Madrid 1-0 Celta Vigo: De Paul stunner keeps Simeone's side on course for Champions League

    Rodrigo De Paul scored a brilliant late goal to snatch a 1-0 home victory for Atletico Madrid against relegation-threatened Celta Vigo, as they consolidated fourth spot in LaLiga on Sunday.

    The Argentina midfielder controlled a clearance from a corner just outside the box before unleashing a breathtaking shot into the top-right corner with just six minutes remaining.

    The win leaves Atletico with 70 points from 35 games – eight points ahead of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao – while Celta are 16th with 34 points, five points above the drop zone.

    Diego Simeone's hosts had launched a late offensive effort but remarkable saves from Celta goalkeeper Vicente Guaita kept them at bay until De Paul's stunner clinched three points.

    Atletico can secure a spot in the Champions League next season with victory away at Getafe on Wednesday.

  • Skinner lauds 'history-makers' after Man Utd lift Women's FA Cup Skinner lauds 'history-makers' after Man Utd lift Women's FA Cup

    Marc Skinner lauded his Manchester United Women side as "history-makers" after their first FA Cup triumph in history on Sunday.

    The Red Devils swept aside Tottenham Women with a 4-0 victory at Wembley Stadium as Ella Toone and Rachel Williams were on target before Lucia Garcia's second-half double.

    United missed out in the final of the Women's FA Cup last season, losing to Chelsea 1-0, but produced an emphatic response to secure the first major trophy in their history.

    Having lost in Champions League qualifying, suffered group-stage elimination in the League Cup and sitting fifth in the Women's Super League, Skinner was delighted with his side's response in the capital.

    The United boss told BBC One: "We are obviously not where we want in the league, right? But we are history-makers for Manchester United.

    "I didn't need to remind the owners of that, they know. There is a lot of support and love for our team and the growth.

    "We want to compete for titles but you all know how important adding that first piece of silverware is. We've got nothing but growth ahead."

    Toone provided the first moment of magic with a rocketed right-footed finish into the top corner from the edge of the area, setting the tone on the stroke of half-time after a dominant opening 45 minutes.

    "In all honesty, I felt that first half was just frustration because we didn't score, I thought we offered more of a threat, we controlled most of their threat," Skinner added.

    "As much as I am exhausted now, it is a magical feeling. Tooney scored one of those goals at Leicester but it is another thing to do it at Wembley.

    "I told her on the podium you have to feel it, remember it because it comes and goes too quick, and that is what she did. Congratulations to her and the team, we are FA Cup winners."

    Williams added the second with her headed finish after 54 minutes, though the United forward admitted this season has been far below usual standards.

    "We don't like to admit it but it does mask over the issues we've had," Williams told BBC One.

    "We have had some ups and downs this year. That's for Marc [Skinner] and the backroom staff to be like 'right this is what we have to do in the summer'.

    "We are going to have change things next year. We have had some injuries, three or four ACLs, at the start of the season. That's football, teams go through transition.

    "You have a good year, you have a dip. Next year we might just come back bigger, better and stronger and who knows we might just be lifting the league."

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.