The new look Inter of Antonio Conte begin their 2019/20 Serie A campaign on Monday evening at 20:45 local time, when newly promoted Lecce visit the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
Probable Formations
Inter (3-5-2): Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, de Vrij, Skriniar; Candreva, Sensi, Brozovic, Vecino, Asamoah; Lautaro, Lukaku
Unavailable: Godin
Lecce (4-3-1-2): Gabriel; Rispoli, Rossettini, Lucioni, Calderoni; Petriccione, Tachtsidis, Majer; Shakhov; Falco, Lapadula.
Unavailable: Meccariello, Fiamozzi
Key Statistics
– Among teams they have faced at least three times in Serie A, Lecce have lost a higher percentage of Serie A meetings against Inter than any other opponent (77 percent – 23/30).
– Inter have won 14 of their 15 Serie A home games against Lecce, with their only defeat coming back in November 2000.
– Inter have lost three of their last eight season opening games in Serie A (W4 D1), with two of them coming in the last three campaigns.
– Inter are unbeaten in their opening Serie A game when facing newly- promoted teams since 1992 (seven wins and two draws).
– Lecce have never won their opening game of a Serie A campaign (D6 L9).
– Lecce coach Fabio Liverani has faced Inter on one previous occasion in Serie A, losing 2-0 away from home with Genoa in August 2013, in what was his first ever match as a coach in the top flight.
– Inter’s last three Serie A goals against Lecce have been scored by Argentinian players (Milito, Cambiasso and Alvarez). Similarly, each of Lecce’s last three scorers against the Nerazzurri in Serie A are from South America (Ruben Olivera, Muriel and Giacomazzi).
– Antonio Conte made his Serie A debut as a player with Lecce (1985/86) and has faced the Puglian side twice as a coach since then, recording an away win and a home draw (both with Juventus in 2012).
– Andrea La Mantia was Lecce’s top scorer in Serie B last season (17 goals), with eight of these goals coming via headers. The most of any player in the competition.
– Inter’s new signing Nicolo Barella has won more duels than any other midfielder during the last two Serie A campaigns (480).
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com