Empoli 1-3 Roma: 7 facts and figures

1

This was Luciano Spalletti's first away win against Empoli in charge of Roma. He managed to take three points against his former team at the Stadio Castellani as Giallorossi coach at the fourth attempt, following defeats in 2005-06 and 2006-07 and a draw in 2007-08. The result sees Spalletti tick Empoli off the list of teams he's never beaten away from the Stadio Olimpico: Ascoli, Bologna, Cagliari, Fiorentina, Juventus and Livorno remain.

2

Miralem Pjanic and Stephan El Shaarawy are now members of the top Giallorossi goalscorers' club in games against Empoli, joining Daniele De Rossi and Rudi Voeller on two goals each. The Bosnian scored from a free-kick in the reverse fixture earlier this season before doubling his tally on Saturday by striking home a rebound from his own set piece. The Pharaoh, on the other hand, staked his claim in the history of this contest with a sumptuous double at the Castellani. The other Roma players who have scored at least a double against the Azzurri from Tuscany are Francesco Totti (on two occasions), Vincenzo Montella, Paolo Baldieri and Abel Balbo.

3

The current season is the third in history that Roma and Empoli have been pitted together in Week 8, plus the corresponding fixture in the second half of the season. In the two previous seasons, in 1986-87 and 1987-88, Roma won the return fixture on both occasions: 2-1 and 1-0 respectively at home. Clearly this alignment brings good luck to the Giallorossi, who emerged victorious on this occasion as well, albeit not on home turf.

6

The Giallorossi's 3-1 victory at the Stadio Castellani on 27 February 2016 confirms their dominance in Empoli v Roma meetings. They have now won six of 11 Serie A away games at Empoli, with two draws and three defeats. 3-1 is the most common scoreline in this match, coming up six times. However, 18 of 26 previous meetings home and away have ended with less than a two-goal margin.

6

Six is also the number of consecutive Serie A wins for Roma with the three points claimed on Saturday. The Giallorossi hadn't enjoyed such a long winning run since April 2014, when they managed eight on the bounce.

9

Miralem Pjanic's goal against Empoli takes his tally for the season to nine, putting him on level pegging with Mohamed Salah as Roma's joint topscorer this term. It is the Bosnian's best goals-return yet in a single Serie A campaign. His previous highest total was six in 2013-14.

302

After joining Nils Liedholm and Fabio Capello in the 300-points club with victory against Carpi on 12 February, Luciano Spalletti is now the third Roma coach in history to reach a triple century of Serie A goals too. The Giallorossi's five-goal haul against Palermo took the Tuscan tactician to within one of that milestone, while Saturday's 3-1 triumph over Empoli sees him reach the grand total of 302. Spalletti is rapidly closing in on Capello's mantle as the second highest-scoring Giallorossi coach in history. The manager who masterminded Roma's third Scudetto is on 306 goals, while the man who led the club to their second league title is out in front with 393.