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.

3. Taarabt reborn in the peninsula

Adel Taarabt celebrates his goal against Sampdoria

Known more for his antics than making use of his unquestionable talent in England, the Moroccan has made quite the splash since landing with Milan in January.

On Sunday he netted a second goal in his maiden three Serie A appearances to spur the Rossoneri on to a second straight top flight victory away to Sampdoria.

Taarabt also picked up the assist for Adil Rami’s clinching strike in the 2-0 win, lofting in a perfectly weighted cross to catch Blucerchiati goalkeeper Junior Da Costa in two minds and force a collision that led to the Frenchman’s finish.

The QPR-owned attacker has gone the distance in all three of his showings in Italy thus far – garnering a Performance Score of 125 – and talk is already swirling of permanent switch to San Siro come summer.

4. Tempers flare at the Tardini

Fiorentina had to settle for a single point against Parma on Monday evening, snatched from the jaws of defeat as Mati Fernandez hit a stunning late free-kick to bring about a 2-2 draw.

Despite all the action in front of goal, however, the match was wrought with indiscipline as the two sides battled bitterly to come gain the upper hand.

The Viola had Modibo Diakite sent off in the 53rd minute and so spent the remainder of proceedings one man down befoe Gianni Munari and Borja Valero also received their marching orders just before the final whistle as a scuffle broke out.

All told, 31 fouls were committed over the course of the encounter, with 10 total bookings handed out by referee Andrea Gervasoni.

5. Napoli stung by a familiar foot

Rafael Benitez’s men took a 1-0 lead early on over Genoa at the San Paolo in the final contest of week 25 through burgeoning fan favourite Gonzalo Higuain, controlling the game in the first half with seven key passes to the Rossoblu’s one.

Napoli would hand over the initiative to the visitors after the break, however, creating just a single chance as the Grifone cobbled together five in the decisive 45 minutes, even ceding 51% possession to their unfancied opponents.

And Emanuele Calaio, on loan at Genoa from the Partenopei, would make his parent club pay as he struck an outstanding free-kick from an unthinkable distance to equalise on 84 minutes.