Stat Attack: Facts to know ahead of Benevento visit

Roma welcome Benevento to the capital on Sunday - in search of a second win on the spin as they take on last year’s Serie B champions.

Here are 10 pre-match facts worth knowing ahead of the fourth matchday of the new season, which kicks-off at 20:45 CET!

History on Roma’s side

These two have met only twice before in Serie A, with Roma notching up nine goals in a pair of wins back in 2017-18; beating Benevento 4-0 away and 5-2 at the Olimpico.

Not the warmest of welcomes

It’s safe to say the Giallorossi enjoy playing newly promoted sides, having won every single one of their previous 23 meetings with teams in their first season joining or rejoining Serie A.

They have scored in all 50 of their last such encounters - hitting 117 goals during that time at an average of 2.3 per game - and no other team in the history of the Italian top-flight can better that goalscoring streak.

A timely opponent

Edin Dzeko has so far failed to find the back of the net this season from his two appearances and has never failed to find the back of the net in his first three Serie A games of a new campaign as a Roma player.

Benevento could be just the side to help him end that run, as he notched three goals in those previous two meetings between these teams.

Rock-solid

After their 1-0 win over Udinese last time out, Roma are going in search of two successive league clean sheets for the first time under Paulo Fonseca. They could be well set to do so, too - having reduced their opponents to just 26 shots across the first three matches, a record only trumped by AC Milan (22).

Giallorossi at the double

Roma have been red-hot in front of goal at the Olimpico recently, scoring twice in each of their last five unbeaten home outings (W3, D2).

Spreading out the goals

Under Fonseca, the side’s goals have been remarkably well shared and since the Portuguese’s arrival, no team has had more Serie A scorers than Roma (19).

Bad starters

This weekend’s visitors have developed a rather unwelcome (depending how you look at it) knack of conceding in the first half of games, shipping six in the opening 45 minutes - more than any other team in the league.

A Roman gladiator

No defender in Serie A this season has won more duels than Roger Ibanez (43), who - in the last match against Udinese - made an incredible 14 recoveries in a man of the match performance.

Home comforts

Jordan Veretout - Roma’s current top-scorer with two goals this season - has scored all of his last six goals for the club at home and the Frenchman has bagged braces in each of his previous two games at the Olimpico, hitting four goals - and converting three penalties - in that pair of appearances.

Going back-to-back?

Pedro Rodriguez opened his Roma account in style with a stunning winner against Udinese last time out and if he were to score on Sunday, they would be his first back-to-back league goals since August 2018.