AC MILAN v NAPOLI: FUN FACTS

A big match awaits as the Rossoneri look to continue to push on in the league. It’ll be a battle at San Siro, just like it has been in the past and, more specifically, just like it was last season, when AC Milan and the Partenopei fought for the same objective almost to the very end following two fierce matches against each other. Before AC Milan v Napoli kicks off at 20:45 CEST this evening, here are the facts you need to know:

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
AC Milan and Napoli are set to meet for the 149th time in Serie A. So far, the Rossoneri have 56 wins to their name compared to the Azzurri’s 44. There have been 48 draws.

SAME POINTS
For the eighth time in Serie A (including the first matchday of the 1940/41 campaign), AC Milan and Napoli are set to take each other on while they’re level on points in the table. So far, when this has been the case, the record reads four Rossoneri wins compared to three Azzurri victories. The Diavolo won the last such match on 6 March this year (going into the game, the two teams sat top of the table on 57 points before Giroud’s goal secured a 1-0 victory). The most frequent result between the two sides in the Italian top flight has been 0-0, which has occurred on 21 occasions. They last played out a goalless draw in January 2019 with Gattuso and Ancelotti in the respective dugouts.

STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE
AC Milan haven’t tasted defeat in 22 Serie A matches following 15 wins and seven draws. It’s the longest they’ve gone without losing since their 27-game unbeaten run that came to an end in January 2021. Strength and resilience: only AC Milan (7) have gained more points from losing positions than Napoli (6) so far this season.

HOME ADVANTAGE, BUT...
AC Milan have won their last six home matches in the league, keeping four clean sheets in the process. The last time they went on a longer winning run at San Siro was in 2013 (eight matches, with a draw against Napoli bringing an end to that streak). Along with Inter, AC Milan are one of two sides that have picked up maximum points from their home games (three wins). However, the last three fixtures between AC Milan and Napoli in Serie A have finished in a 1-0 victory for the team playing away.

GOALS
No side has found the net more than Napoli (13) and AC Milan (12) during the current campaign. The Rossoneri and Azzurri are also leading the way when it comes to goals from inside the box (12 each).

MESSIAS, PRESENT AND PAST
After his goal against Sampdoria, Messias could find the net in two consecutive league appearances for just the second time. He previously did so for Crotone between March and April 2021 (on that occasion, the second game was against Napoli). When he came up against Napoli on 3 April 2021, Junior both scored and provided an assist, the only time he’s achieved this in a single Italian top-flight match.

INDIVIDUALS
Hernández is the player who has covered the most distance with the ball at his feet during the current Serie A campaign (1599). Furthermore, five of Theo’s dribbles have ended with a chance being created; only Deulofeu and Politano (6) have done better in this regard so far. No Rossonero has completed more dribbles than De Ketelaere this season (11, along with Leão). In general, Parisi (12) is the only player in Serie A who has been more successful than Charles in this respect.

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