Roma v Spezia Match Preview, 04/06/2023

Match Facts

1. Roma are unbeaten against Spezia in Serie A. The Giallorossi have won four of their previous five meetings against Bianconeri in the competition (D1), keeping a clean sheet in the last three. 
2. Spezia have not won a single point in their previous two Serie A away matches against Roma (L2). In fact, they have played more Serie A away games without a single win at Olimpico than in any other venue (5G: L5, against Roma and Lazio). 
3. Roma have won on the final day in six of their last seven Serie A seasons, including the most recent (3-0 vs Torino in 2021/22). Since Serie A returned to 20 teams (2004/05), only Milan (13) have won more matches than the Giallorossi (12) on the last matchday of the season - they have also scored 37 goals in this period: fewer than only Milan (39) and Inter (44). 
4. Spezia have scored the opening goal in nine Serie A games this season – fewer than any other team in the competition. Meanwhile, Roma are unbeaten when netting the opening goal at home in the current campaign (11: W10 D1). 
5. Roma could end a 20-team Serie A season with fewer than 50 goals scored for the first time since 1950/51 (48, tournament finished in 19th position). 
6. Spezia and Roma are two of the three sides with the greatest negative difference between goals scored and Expected Goals in Serie A this season (alongside Sampdoria). The Ligurians lead this ranking at -11.2 (30 goals, 41.2 xG), while the Giallorossi are third at -8.1 (48 goals, 56.1 xG). 
7. Roma are the only side to have conceded more shots from outside the box (202) than from inside the penalty area (187) in the Big-5 European Leagues. 
8. Andrea Belotti is yet to score in 30 Serie A matches for AS Roma. He could become the highest appearance making striker for Romma in a single Serie A season without finding the net in the era of three points for a win. 
9. Stephan El Shaarawy has scored three goals in his last three Serie A starts. With the striker starting, Roma have collected more points on average per game in the current campaign (2.1 compared to 1.4 in matches in which they started from the bench or did not play), while recording both a higher winning percentage (61.5% against 37.5%) and a higher average goal per game (1.7 against 1.1). 
10. Mbala Nzola has won 16 points for Spezia thanks to his 13 goals in Serie A this season - more than any other player in the current campaign (behind him Lautaro Martínez, with 15 points, but 21 goals scored).