Sassuolo are ready to welcome Genoa to the Mapei Stadium on Saturday afternoon for a Serie A clash between two surprising squads.
The Neroverdi have undoubtedly been this campaign’s surprise package, achieving 12 victories over the season and currently standing in the seventh position in the Serie A table.
The Rossoblu, on the other hand, have been stammering for the whole season, alternating between good performances and blackouts. As a result, they hold 10th position in the table, and no hope to get into European competitions but with little genuine fear of relegation.
The last clash between the two clubs, however, saw Gian Piero Gasperini’s squad emerge as the winners. The match was affected by two red cards when both Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi and Genoa’s Diego Perotti were sent off. The goals all came in the second half, as Tomas Rincon scored for the Rossoblu quite early, while Leonardo Pavoletti closed the match in a dramatic injury time goal to cancel out Francesco Acerbi’s late equaliser.
Come Saturday, Sassuolo should have more motivation as they are trying to surpass AC Milan in sixth position, which could mean a place in next season’s Europa League. Coach Eusebio Di Francesco is probably going to use his typical formation, despite the injuries of Simone Missiroli and Karim Laribi. The midfield will likely be composed of Davide Biondini, Francesco Magnanelli and Alfred Duncan. The attacking trio selected by the Neroverdi boss for this fixture is probably going to feature the club’s starlet, Domenico Berardi, alongside Gregoire Defrel and Nicola Sansone.
Genoa will answer with a line-up deeply affected by injuries, since elements as important as Pavoletti, Cristian Ansaldi, Alessio Cerci and Nicolas Burdisso are going to miss the game. Gasperini will probably choose a very mobile forward line, composed by Serie A veteran Goran Pandev and AC Milan loanee winger Suso.
Form guide: Sassuolo (W-W-L-D-W); Genoa (L-W-W-L-W)
Expected Starting XIs:
Sassuolo: Consigli, Vrsaljko, Acerbi, Peluso, Longhi, Biondini, Magnanelli, Duncan, Berardi, Defrel, Sansone.
Genoa: Perin, Munoz, De Maio, Izzo, Fiamozzi, Rincon, Rigoni, Dzemaili, Gabriel Silva, Suso, Pandev.
Infographic courtesy of Sporticos.com
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com