AC Milan face the trip to Liguria this evening to take on Spezia knowing that three points is an absolute must in the race for the top four.
After losing the first leg against Inter in the Champions League, Milan will have to shift focus back to the league and the top-four race knowing that there are no more slip-ups allowed.
You can read our pre-match preview here, while below are the best stats ahead of the game…
➤ Spezia and Milan have never drawn in any of their six meetings in all competitions: four wins for the Rossoneri (three in Serie A, including the first leg last November, and one in Coppa Italia) and two for Spezia (both in the top flight).
➤ Spezia haven’t won any of their last eight league games (D3 L5) and could register their longest ever streak without a win in Serie A (eight also between November 2020 and January 2021).
➤ Spezia have failed to score in 10 of their 19 matches played in 2023 – as many as in all 34 played in 2022 in Serie A. Since they were promoted to the top flight (2020/21), only Sampdoria have recorded more games (40) without scoring than the Ligurians (34).
➤ Just 46% of Milan’s Serie A points this season have come in 2023 (28/61), the lowest percentage in the division.
➤ Milan have gained 23 points in the second part of this Serie A season: six wins and five draws (L4); the last time the Rossoneri had gained fewer points in the first 15 games of the second half of the season in Serie A was in 2016/17 (20).
➤ Milan are unbeaten in their last 17 Serie A away matches against opponents who were in the bottom three of the standing at the start of the matchday (W11 D6); their last such defeat was in December 2017, against Verona (3-0).
➤ Milan have drawn their last two Serie A away matches, both 1-1; the last time the Rossoneri finished 1-1 three games in a row in Serie A was in March 1988 (against Fiorentina, Ascoli and Torino). Overall, AC Milan could draw three away games in a row in the top-flight for the first time since December 2018.
➤ Spezia’s M’Bala Nzola hasn’t scored in his last three league matches; the striker has never failed to score for four matches in a row in Serie A 2022/23 (three matches also between August and September)
➤ With Rafael Leão as a starter, AC Milan have gained an average of 2.2 points per match in Serie A this season, recording 64% of wins; however, without the Portuguese starting, the Rossoneri’s points average drops to 0.8, with only an 11% win rate.
➤ Theo Hernández has scored four goals in Serie A this season; since joining AC Milan (2019/20), the Frenchman is the defender who has scored the most goals from ball carries in the top-flight (7).
