5 Key Stats from Serie A week 25
A three day feast of calcio action has come and gone with week 25 of Serie A now in the books, featuring Juventus’ fifth straight victory in the Derby della Mole.
Roma clocked up a second clean sheet win on the bounce to maintain the nine point gap between themselves and the leaders with a game in hand and in doing so also managed to increase their lead over Napoli and Fiorentina as the chasers could only salvage a draw each. So without further adieu, following are the five most alluring stats from the latest helping of Italian top flight action.
1. Roma taking no chances at the back
The Giallorossi have, largely, succeeded under Rudi Garcia due to possessing the league’s most miserly defence, with 16 clean sheets to their credit following 24 contests.
Roma took three points to open the weekend on Saturday, courtesy of keeping Bologna off the scoresheet as Radja Nainggolan netted his first goal in club colours following his January signing.
Injuries and fitness constraints meant the usual central defence duo Leandro Castan and Mehdi Benatia were flanked by youngster Alessio Romagnoli, a centre-back by trade, and veteran midfielder-turned-full-back Rodrigo Taddei.
Unwilling to gamble, with Bologna having looked lively at home, and having to accommodate a pair of unfamiliar presences in the back line, the capital outfit made use of 51 clearances to blank the hosts with a no-nonsense approach.
2. Tevez the king of Turin
Carlos Tevez
Juventus weren’t as dominant as has been the case on the pitch during recent encounters with Torino, a Granata side challenging for a spot in Europe traveling across town with plenty of belief.
Giampiero Ventura’s men were able to manage the same number of key passes as the champions with eight, reeling off 15 shots to also match the Bianconeri in this regard.
But Carlos Tevez proved the difference to deny Il Toro a chance at triumphing in the Derby della Mole for the first time since April 1995, striking a delicious winner on the turn from distance on the half-hour mark.
Torino have argued that a legitimate penalty shout was denied later on in the day as the contentious fixture has maintained its customary controversy, but the Argentine won’t be too bothered, having gone level with Giuseppe Rossi at the top of the Serie A scoring charts on the day.