On Friday night, Serie A features a crucial match as Sassuolo hosts Hellas Verona. These two teams find themselves on opposite trajectories this season. Sassuolo sits comfortably in the top half of the table, while Verona struggles at the bottom.
Sassuolo’s Recent Performance
Sassuolo has bounced back impressively after suffering a heavy 5-0 defeat to Inter Milan. The team recovered last weekend, overcoming an early goal from Udinese to secure a 2-1 victory. Andrea Pinamonti and Armand Lauriente scored the decisive goals in the second half, marking a significant comeback and Sassuolo’s first Serie A win of the season in Udine.
- Sassuolo’s current position: 10th in Serie A
- Recent record: 3 wins in their last 4 matches
- February goal: To double over Hellas Verona (previously won 1-0 at Stadio Bentegodi)
Hellas Verona’s Struggles
In stark contrast, Hellas Verona finds itself in a precarious position. With only 15 points from 25 matches, they sit at the bottom of the Serie A table. The recent decision to dismiss coach Paolo Zanetti and appoint Paolo Sammarco as interim manager has not yielded positive results.
- Hellas Verona’s current position: 20th in Serie A
- Recent record: Winless in 10 games, only 1 win in 12 away matches
Last week, they experienced another setback, losing to Parma after star striker Gift Orban received a red card for dissent. Despite fighting hard, they succumbed to a last-minute goal, which left them nine points adrift of safety.
Team News and Lineups
Fabio Grosso, Sassuolo’s head coach, is expected to maintain consistency in the lineup, making just one change last week due to Nemanja Matic’s suspension. Luca Lipani is likely to continue in Matic’s place, while Tarik Muharemovic is suspended due to accumulating yellow cards.
Sassuolo’s attacking trio of Pinamonti, Domenico Berardi, and Lauriente remains pivotal. Both Pinamonti and Berardi are joint top-scorers for the team, while Lauriente provides essential support.
On the other hand, Hellas Verona will miss their top scorer Gift Orban due to a two-match ban. They also face significant injury issues with several key players sidelined, including Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro and Tomas Suslov.
Predicted Lineups
| Sassuolo | Hellas Verona |
|---|---|
| Muric | Montipo |
| Coulibaly | Bella-Kotchap |
| Walukiewicz | Nelsson |
| Idzes | Edmundsson |
| Doig | Bradaric |
| Thorstvedt | Harroui |
| Lipani | Al-Musrati |
| Kone | Niasse |
| Berardi | Frese |
| Pinamonti | Bowie |
| Lauriente | Sarr |
Match Prediction
Considering both teams’ current form, Sassuolo appears likely to secure a victory, with a predicted scoreline of 2-0 against Hellas Verona. The home side’s consistent performance contrasts sharply with the visitors’ ongoing challenges, particularly with Orban’s absence further weakening Verona’s attacking threat.
