Stat Attack: Facts to know ahead of Fiorentina clash

Here are 10 facts worth knowing ahead of the fixture, which kicks off at 19:30 CEST.

History in Roma’s favour

The Giallorossi have won 10 of their last 15 Serie A games against Fiorentina, losing just twice and drawing three times in the process. Roma have also won 37 of the 80 meetings on home soil, drawing on 28 occasions and losing 15 times.

A storied fixture

Roma have only faced Inter Milan (174), Juventus (171) and AC Milan (170), more times than Fiorentina (161) in Serie A - and have only picked up more league victories over Torino (63) and Lazio (54) than La Viola (53).

Drawn figures

The last meeting at the Olimpico ended in a 2-2 draw in 2018-19 and, while Fiorentina have drawn more Serie A matches (60) against Roma than any other club, there have not been back-to-back ties between these two in the capital since 1996.

The Kolarov effect

Across 11 games in all competitions, Aleksandar Kolarov has scored more goals against Fiorentina (four) than any other club over the course of his entire career. His sumptuous free kick in Roma’s 4-1 win in the reverse fixture earlier this season was his first against Fiorentina in Serie A, with his three other strikes coming in the Coppa Italia.

Red-hot Roma

Paulo Fonseca’s side have scored at least two goals in each of their last five league games, their best goal scoring run since February 2017. If they were to extend that to six matches, it would be the first time Roma have done so since September 2016.

Form at both ends

No team has kept more Serie A clean sheets this calendar year than Fiorentina (seven), who achieved shutouts in both of their last two outings - against Torino and Inter. Only Milan (16), however, have bagged more goals across the past five matchdays than Roma (15), while Fiorentina (two) are the only team to have conceded fewer than Roma (five) during the same period.

Something has to give?

Both teams go into this fixture unbeaten in the league, with Fiorentina’s six-game run (W3, D3) one better than Roma’s own five-match effort (W4, D1). It is Roma’s second best sequence under Fonseca after his side went six without defeat (W3, D3) from Matchday 6-11 earlier in the campaign.

A welcome record

Having replaced former Roma striker (and coach) Vincenzo Montella in the aftermath of Roma’s comprehensive 4-1 win at the Artemio Franchi Stadium earlier this season, Giuseppe Iachini faces the Giallorossi for the first time as Fiorentina coach. He has gone up against Roma before and his record is encouraging for the hosts; P11, W2, D3, L6. As for Fonseca, he’s looking to make it two-from-two against Fiorentina, while this is the first meeting between the two coaches.

A familiar face...

Nikola Kalinic scored 27 times in 68 Fiorentina appearances, while his opener for Roma against SPAL last time out means he’s scored in two Serie A games in a row for the first time since doing so for Fiorentina in March 2017. He’s only once hit thee in succession, back in November 2015 - again in the purple colours of Sunday’s visitors.

…And some very familiar faces

Francesco Totti (13) is the fixture’s highest goalscorer, three ahead of Gabriel Batistuta - a man both sides remember fondly. The legendary Argentinian - who lifted the Scudetto with Roma in 2001 - scored nine times for Fiorentina and once for Roma in meetings between the two. Giancarlo Antognoni (eight) is third on the list, ahead of Abel Balbo - another famous Argentine to represent both teams - and Roma legend Bruno Conti (both on seven goals).