Monza vs Parma, a real six-pointer

Monza vs Parma and Udinese vs Hellas Verona: the Saturday schedule for Serie A Enilive matchday 29 begins with two important battles for survival.

The home side put in a good performance against Inter but now must win in order to climb up the table: they have only gained one point in their last eight games, and they will need more points to be able to stay in the Serie A Enilive.

Parma also need to win, as they come into the game following a draw against Torino and sitting two points above Empoli who are third from bottom. They will need to move away from the dropzone in order to make life easier for themselves coming into the final ten games of the season.

HEAD TO HEAD

Parma won the reverse fixture against Monza: the last time they won both of their first two Serie A matches against a single opponent was against Sassuolo in 2013/14. Monza have not won any of their last seven matches against Parma between Serie A and Serie B (D5 L2): the last success of the Brianza team between these two competitions was in March 1985, a 3-0 home win in the second division. Parma are the opponent that Monza have faced most at home without ever losing between Serie A and B: 10 wins and six draws in 16 previous matches (the only one this century was a 1-1 in March 2022 in Serie B).

DID YOU KNOW?

Despite failing to find the net in their last three home league games, Monza have avoided defeat in two of their last four Serie A home matches (W1 D1), after having been defeated in all five previous matches. Only Venezia (six) and Monza (seven) have gained fewer points than Parma away from home in Serie A this season (eight). They have lost each of their last four away games, last losing more consecutively in a single campaign between April and May 2021 (five consecutive defeats). Monza have lost 12 of their 14 Serie A games since the beginning of December: in the same period, only Southampton (13) have recorded more defeats in the big five European leagues (12 defeats also for Leicester). Parma have scored 24% of their goals from corners in Serie A this season (8/34), the highest percentage in the current tournament. Meanwhile, Monza have conceded the most goals following corners (eight).

PLAYERS

Keita Baldé has scored in three of his six Serie A matches against Parma, including his first goal in the Italian top-flight in November 2013. After his goal against Inter, the Monza striker can find the net in two consecutive appearances in the tournament for the first time since May 2021. Emanuele Valeri has provided four assists this season: the last Italian players to provide more assists for Parma in a single Serie A season were Mattia Cassani (five), Marco Parolo (six) and Antonio Cassano (six), all in 2013/14.

DISCIPLINE

Suspended: Sohm, Vogliacco (Parma) Cautioned: Carboni, Kyriakopoulos (Monza); Keita, Hernani, Balogh, Almqvist (Parma)

REFEREE

MANGANIELLO (MONDIN – CORTESE) IV: FERRIERI CAPUTI, VAR: MERAVIGLIA, AVAR: LA PENNA

UPCOMING MATCHES IN SERIE A

Cagliari-Monza (Sunday 30 March, 12.30 CET) Hellas Verona-Parma (Monday 31 March 18.30 CET) (Photo Getty Images)