5 key stats from Serie A week 29

Carlos Tevez

Serie A has edged a step closer to conclusion with week 29 now on the books, the top two consolidating their positions as the chasing pack duked it out below.

Juventus and Roma each nudged nearer to fulfilling their respective objectives with victories away from home, whilst Fiorentina scored a crucial win over Napoli and a youngster reignited his Capocannoniere charge.

Following are the five most intriguing facts and figures from the last bout of action in the Italian topflight.

1. Tweaking the sights in Sicily

Juventus had a quick turnaround this week in making the trip to Sicily to take on bottom side Catania after having eliminated arch rivals Fiorentina from the Europa League on Thursday.

The Bianconeri’s extra wear combined with the hosts’ overall lack of precision this term to create the conditions to make for a rough encounter at the Stadio Angelo Massimino – particularly in front of goal.

Catania failed to hit the target from eight shots, whilst Juventus found the inside of the frame only twice on 13 attempts, of which only one squirmed past Mariano Andujar via the foot of Carlos Tevez for the winner.

The result adequately sums up the fortunes of either club on the term – the Old Lady overcoming nearly every obstacle in the pursuit of three points, and the Sicilians never getting out of first gear to their detriment.

2. Roma get help from an old friend

Kevin Strootman’s lengthy injury lay-off could have hardly arrived at a worse time for Roma, Daniele De Rossi already serving an extended ban for violent conduct.

The Giallorossi vice-captain saw out the final game of his suspension on Saturday as his beloved club brushed aside Chievo 2-0, watching a longtime teammate deputise once more.

Rodrigo Taddei entered the first team for the second straight week with the absences at hand, and proved a crucial performer against the Flying Donkeys, having made five tackles from six attempts as well as having completed 88% of his passes.

The 34-year-old Brazilian played the dangerous long ball that led to Gervinho’s opener and served up a scything assist for Mattia Destro’s insurance strike – turning in a shift worthy of a man in his ninth year of service for the capital outfit.

3. Calamity on the cards for Napoli

Possession and pass completion

The Partenopei needed a win in the worst way on Sunday evening to keep pace with Roma and recover quickly from a wasteful display opposite Porto midweek that saw them crash out of Europe.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan for Rafael Benitez’s men through the opening half-hour against Fiorentina – Napoli having played four key passes to the Viola’s one while out-shooting their adversaries five to one.

Disaster soon struck, however, as Faouzi Ghoulam was sent off on 37 minutes and the control of Vincenzo Montella’s men over proceedings only increased as the 10-man hosts tired.

Napoli wouldn’t get off a shot inside the penalty area at a numerical disadvantage, Fiorentina having piled on the pressure in the final half-hour with six key passes and nine attempts on goal to break through via Joaquin just before full-time.

4. Immobile back in business

Ciro Immobile and Alessio Cerci have carried Torino from the fore of the attack this term, and accordingly simultaneous goal droughts for the pair saw the Granata on a four game losing streak – not having scored once during this stretch – heading into the weekend.

The former, at last, wiped away the club’s troubles with Livorno in town, hitting a hat-trick on four total shots to take Man of the Match honours with a Performance Score of 90.

Immobile not only reignited Torino’s now-distant hopes of a top five finish with the day’s treble, but also his charge for the Serie A scoring title.

Sitting on 16 goals for the term, the Italy international has drawn level with Carlos Tevez at the top of the the peninsula’s charts, and would become the first Capocannoniere from Tornio since Francesco Graziani in the 1976-77 campaign should he reign supreme come season’s end.

5. Shocking at the Stadio Olimpico

Mario Balotelli

Milan, finally, stopped the rot with a draw against Lazio to avoid a fourth defeat on the bounce – under rather ugly circumstances.

Kaka needed a wicked deflection off of Abdoulay Konko to grab the Rossoneri’s only goal of the night, questions as to why Clarence Seedorf’s men couldn’t have had more rife.

Lazio succeeded in just three of 21 tackles (14%) as their guests completed nine of 10 take ons, but Milan seemingly just couldn’t make an example of an opponent offering such little resistance.

Mario Balotelli cracked a dipping strike off the base of the upright late on to be denied as, aside from Kaka’s redirected opener, the struggling San Siro giants failed to trouble Etrit Berisha with a single accurate effort.