This Sunday’s Serie A matchup between Salernitana and Sassuolo, who are attempting to win two games in a row for the first time this season, will pit 11th and 13th against one another at the Mapei Stadium.
Sassuolo have struggled at times this season, and thanks to a 0-0 draw two games ago with Cremonese, they are one of just a handful of teams to have failed to defeat them in a matchup this year. The team did draw 0-0 with defending champions AC Milan, and after defeating Torino 1-0 in Turin, there is some momentum to build on.
The fact that Salernitana are currently ranked 13th in Serie doesn’t really say much about their season thus far. They had a 2-0 lead against Juventus in Turin just three weeks prior, but the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
Additionally, they have drawn 0-0 draws with Empoli Bologna and were one of the few teams to hold Udinese this season. Salernitana’s lone defeats this season have come from 1-0 losses to Roma at the start of the season and a recent 2-1 loss to Lecce.
One of their highest-scoring victories in Serie A history, Salernitana’s stunning 4-0 victory over Sampdoria is still fresh in their minds. With just one victory all season, they are still in 13th place in the league despite having goals from Erik Botheim, Tonny Vilhene, Federico Bonazzoli, and Boulaye Dia in the victory.
The game will be close, but Sassuolo’s home advantage and Salernitana’s difficulties away from home may be the deciding factors.
After a victory away at Torino that solidified their mid-table position and kept their record to just one defeat in the last six Serie A games, Sassuolo will try to continue where they did prior to the break.
In a season where goals have been a little hard to come by, the Neroverdi needed a stoppage time goal from substitute Agustin Alvarez to secure those three points. As his team faces a team that has conceded goals this year on Sunday, head coach Alessio Dionisi will be hoping that could change.
That might imply that both teams’ supporters will be able to enjoy a celebratory moment as the strikers practice their shooting. Sassuolo has struggled to win games this year, and Domenico Berardi’s continued absence from the lineup raises the possibility of a scoreless final result.
Four of Salernitana’s seven Serie A games have ended in draws so far this season, which has become something of a habit for them. Even though the Juventus match was particularly memorable, head coach Davide Nicola would probably settle for a draw here following the disappointing loss to a weak Lecce team the previous time around.
It could be Polish international Krzystof Piatek who scores at some point at the Mapei Stadium. Nicola will be counting on his strikers to keep scoring the goals that have allowed them to compete with the best of the Italian top-flight so far.
Despite the fact that he has yet to produce at Salernitana and that he played for his country during the break in Serie A play, he could present some difficulties for the Sassuolo defense this weekend.
Giacomo Raspadori’s success for the Azzurri and Napoli while on loan from Sassuolo must be difficult for Alessio Dionisi, but he must trust Andrea Pinamonti and Davide Frattesi to score the vital goals. The goal scorer against Torino, Agustin Alvarez, will likely sit on the bench once more.
Due to long-term injury issues, Davide Nicola will be unable to use Franck Ribéry in this match. Instead, he will look to maximize the performance of players like Krzystof Piatek and Boulaye Dia, with Federico Bonazzoli possibly coming off the bench later if Salernitana is unable to penetrate the Sassuolo defense.
Possible lineup for Sassuolo – Consigli; Rogério, Ferrari, Ayhan, Toljan; Davide Frattesi, López, Harroui; Laurienté, Pinamonti, D’Andrea
Possible Lineup for Salernitana – Sepe; Daniliuc, Gyomber, Bronn; Mazzochi, Maggiore, Coulibaly, Vilhena, Candreva; Krzystof Piatek, Dia
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