Salernitana against Monza to bounce back

At the Arechi Stadium, Salernitana host Monza to try and turn the tide: the Campanians don't want to drift further away from safety and play to climb up the table after earning only one point, a 0-0 draw against Torino three weeks ago, in their last seven matches. Liverani, after the daunting debut against Inter, will try to bring a victory back to Salerno, which hasn't happened since 30 December (1-0 in Verona). In contrast, Monza, after two consecutive losses to Inter and Empoli in mid-January, have bounced back, earning eight points in the last four matches and enjoying the satisfaction of beating AC Milan last week. The European dream isn't far away, and with another victory, the Brianza-based team could start dreaming again.

DID YOU KNOW?

Monza (10) and Salernitana (8) are the two teams that have conceded the most goals in the first 15 minutes of play in this Serie A championship; the Biancorossi are also one of three sides – together with Napoli and Cagliari – who have scored the fewest goals (one each) in the same interval of time. Monza (114) and Salernitana (117) are respectively the last and second-to-last team in terms of high turnovers in the 2023/24 Serie A; in fact, less than 8% of the open-play sequences recorded by these two teams have started this way (7.9% and 7.7%).

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Monza have won four of their last five league games against Salernitana (L1), scoring exactly three goals in each of those victories; however, Salernitana's one success in this period came in the only away match played by the Biancorossi against the Campanian side in Serie A. Salernitana won their only previous home match played against Monza in Serie A (3-0 on February 26, 2023); only against Venezia and Vicenza (both 2/2) they have played more home games with a 100% success rate in the competition. Monza have already beaten Salernitana in Serie A, Serie B and Serie C: in fact, the Campanian side can become the first team against which Monza have three or more victories in both the Italian second division and top-tier.

PLAYERS

Antonio Candreva (492) is set to join Andrea Pirlo and Goran Pandev (493) in 20th position among the players with the most appearances in Serie A history; the Italian midfielder has both scored and provided an assist in the only previous Serie A game between Salernitana and Monza at the Arechi. Matteo Pessina has been involved in three goals in his three Serie A matches against Salernitana (two goals and one assist), although none of these came in the only one of these games staged at the Arechi. Overall, against no other opponent has the Monza player participated in more goals in the competition (also three against Sampdoria, Sassuolo, and Udinese).

DISCIPLINE

Suspended: none Cautioned: Kastanos e Gyomber (Salernitana); Gagliardini e Izzo (Monza)

REFEREE

Fabbri (Perrotti-Ciprianie), IV: Minelli, VAR: Valeri, AVAR: Mazzoleni

UPCOMING MATCHES IN SERIE A TIM

Udinese-Salernitana (Saturday 2 March, 15:00 CET) Monza-Roma (Saturday 2 March, 18:00 CET) (Photo LaPresse)