Roma become only the second ever club to win their first nine Serie A games, matching the record set by Fabio Capello’s Juventus in 2005-06. Including last season, the Lupi have won 10 in a row and are close to matching the club record 11 set by Luciano Spalletti in 2005-06.
Roma and Inter have 23 goals after nine rounds, a record since three points were introduced for a win in 1994-95. Only Lazio (1999-00), Milan (2002-03) and Juventus (2003-04) have managed it. The Giallorossi conceded one goal in the opening nine games, also achieved by Cagliari and Inter in 1966-67.
Udinese had been unbeaten at the Stadio Friuli in 22 top flight encounters. The last side to leave here with three points was Juventus, 4-1 on September 2 2012, followed by 14 wins and eight stalemates. They hadn’t even conceded here for 281 minutes of football. Douglas Maicon hadn’t seen red in all competition since Bologna 1-3 Inter in November 2009. Michael Bradley’s last Serie A goal was in Roma 2-0 Atalanta in October 2012, so now he has three.
The Giallorossi have scored in all but one of their last 17 visits to Udine, aside from a 2-0 defeat in November 2011. Their top flight record here is now 36 wins, 23 draws and 20 losses.
Parma notched up a third straight home win, but it was only the second victory over Milan – home and away – in their last 19 meetings, along with four draws and 13 defeats. The other success was 1-0 in 2010. Marco Parolo has been directly involved in Parma’s last five Serie A goals, scoring three and providing two assists. This was his first career brace, going up to 14 in the top flight. Antonio Cassano took his Serie A tally to 98 and scored for the third round running.
Matias Silvestre became the first Milan player to score with a header since Bojan Krkic in a 2-1 win over Siena on January 6 2013. It was the defender’s 13th Serie A goal, the most recent being in Palermo 4-4 Chievo in May 2012. Alessandro Matri got his first goal of the campaign, the 64th in Serie A, where he hadn’t scored since Atalanta 0-1 Juventus on May 8. The Rossoneri are without a victory on their travels this season between Serie A and Champions League, managing four draws and three defeats. Cristian Zapata marked his 200th Serie A game.
For the first time in the post-War era, Milan have failed to garner more than 11 points by Week 9 for two seasons running (calculating three points for a win).
Esteban Cambiasso has scored three goals in the last six rounds, but it was Rolando’s first in Serie A. Cambiasso now has 40 Serie A goals, 50 in a Nerazzurri jersey. Rodrigo Palacio went up to 53 in Serie A, three in the last two games, and helped Inter end their three-round winless streak. Inter hadn’t netted two in the opening 15 minutes of a top flight match since January 2011 against Cesena. The Nerazzurri have now found the net with 10 different players, a season record on a par with Roma and Fiorentina.
Verona have never won at San Siro, whether against Milan or Inter, managing 25 draws and 24 defeats. Hellas hadn’t conceded four top flight goals since a 5-4 defeat to Lazio in April 2002. Their three-game winning streak came to an end. Raphael Martinho got his second Serie A goal, while two of Romulo’s four in the top flight were scored away to Inter.
This was the first Juventus home clean sheet of the season. Genoa have won away to Juventus only twice, in 1937 and 1991, drawing nine and losing the other 38. However, they had been unbeaten at the Juventus Stadium, earning two consecutive draws. Gian Piero Gasperini’s record against the Bianconeri is one win, two draws and seven losses. With eight points, this is Genoa’s worst start since 1994-95, when they were relegated. Arturo Vidal converted his fifth consecutive penalty between Serie A and Champions League, while Carlos Tevez found the net for the second week running.
Napoli had not received any penalties this season until getting two against Torino. Now only Inter, Catania, Sassuolo, Chievo, Atalanta and Parma are without a spot-kick. Gonzalo Higuain becomes the first Partenopei player with two Serie A penalties in a single game since Maurizio Domizzi against Juventus in 2007.
The Granata had put together four draws and a defeat at the San Paolo between Serie A and B, so this was their first defeat since 1-0 in April 1996. Giampiero Ventura has only ever beaten the Partenopei once (in the 1995 Coppa Italia with Lecce), along with four draws and 11 defeats.
The Partenopei extended their unbeaten home run in Serie A to 15 games, including 12 victories, the best streak since October 1991. Gonzalo Higuain’s last brace was for Real Madrid against Mallorca in March 2013, while he hadn’t scored for Napoli since September 22 against Milan. The Partenopei have netted six times in the opening 15 minutes, making them stronger starters than any other side. Rafa Benitez has fielded nine different starting line-ups in as many League games.
Chievo suffered a fifth consecutive defeat (their worst run since September 2012) and a third on the trot at home (which hadn’t happened since five in a row in December 2008). Juan Guillermo Cuadrado bagged his first ever Serie A brace, going up to 10 goals. Bostjan Cesar had not scored in Serie A since Lazio 1-1 Chievo on February 6 2011, while his most recent Bentegodi goal was in Chievo 2-1 Cesena in October 2010. His tally now stands at four career goals. Giuseppe Sannino has never beaten the Viola, managing two points from six attempts.
Miroslav Klose scored only his second goal of the season, the other against Juventus on August 31, going up to 30 in Serie A. However, he had never before netted as a substitute in Italy. Antonio Candreva has scored four goals in nine Serie A games this term, as many as he had managed in the previous 33 rounds. He also made the Sardinians his favourite targets with three and converted his fifth consecutive spot-kick. Cagliari have lost their last four consecutive visits to the Olimpico. Lazio ended their run of four draws from five games in all competition. The Aquile are unbeaten in their opening five home matches, the best run since 2005-06 when that streak went to 12.
Sampdoria kept their first clean sheet of the campaign, having let goals in for the last 17 consecutive Serie A games, and their first home win. They hadn’t notched up two straight victories since March. Atalanta have picked up nine red cards in 2013, more than any other club in the top five European Leagues. Samp haven’t drawn at home with Atalanta in all competition since a 1-1 in 1989, managing 12 Blucerchiati victories and five for the Orobici. Shkodran Mustafi celebrated his first Serie A goal at the 23rd attempt.
New Catania Coach Gigi De Canio has only ever won once on his mid-season debut, in 1998 with Pescara in Serie B, earning three draws and four defeats. Sassuolo kept their first ever Serie A clean sheet, having conceded 22 goals in eight rounds. Simone Missiroli marked his 100th top flight appearance.
Bologna finally registered their first win of the campaign after five defeats and three draws. The Rossoblu hadn’t picked up three points at the Dall’Ara since a 3-0 over Cagliari in March, followed by five draws and four losses. Jose Angel Crespo scored his debut Serie A goal at the 10th appearance. Livorno have scraped just two points from the last six rounds. They’ve won only one of their 15 top flight visits to Bologna, 2-1 in 1942, along with two draws and 12 defeats.
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Serie A Week 9: Did You Know?
