Preview:Sassuolo vs Genoa – prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Monday’s Serie A clash between Sassuolo and Genoa, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Already separated by 10 points in the Serie A standings, mid-table Sassuolo will welcome rock-bottom Genoa to the Mapei Stadium on Monday.

Somewhat surprisingly, the newly promoted Neroverdi are well clear of their Rossoblu rivals, who have just sacked Patrick Vieira and are yet to win a league game.

Match preview

After previously posting back-to-back wins, Sassuolo had picked up just one point from their next two matches without scoring, so they were keen to avoid another setback in midweek.

Sure enough, a Thursday night clash in Cagliari brought the Emilian club maximum points, with Andrea Pinamonti and Armand Lauriente both finding the net during a 2-1 win.

Promoted as Serie B champions last season, Fabio Grosso‘s side sit 10th after nine games of their comeback campaign, leaving them well placed to defy the drop back down to Italy’s second tier.

The Neroverdi will now return to Reggio Emilia, where they have both won and lost twice so far, while scoring and conceding four goals apiece.

To date, Sassuolo have lost just two of 10 Serie A home games against Genoa, winning more than half, and current form suggests they should start as favourites on Monday night.

One of four clubs yet to win a top-flight fixture this term – alongside Hellas Verona and troubled Tuscan pair Pisa and Fiorentina – it is fair to say Genoa are in crisis, so there was no real surprise when Vieira was shown the door on Saturday.

Following Wednesday’s 2-0 home defeat to newly promoted Cremonese, his team’s winless start to the league campaign stretched to nine, albeit they did come through two Coppa Italia ties.

Stuck to the bottom of the table on three points, the Grifone are Serie A’s joint-lowest scorers with just four goals, which highlights their lack of firepower since Pinamonti returned to Sassuolo.

Late lapses in concentration have not helped either, as Genoa have dropped more points in the second half than any other side, while more than half of 13 goals conceded have arrived in the final half-hour.

Before heading to the Mapei Stadium, they have also won just one of their last 15 away games, so caretaker coach Domenico Criscito has a tough task on his hands.

Sassuolo Serie A form:

L W W D L W

Sassuolo form (all competitions):

L W W D L W

Genoa Serie A form:

L L L D L L

Genoa form (all competitions):

W L L D L L

Team News

Star man Domenico Berardi and centre-back Filippo Romagna both missed Sassuolo’s trip to Sardinia with injuries sustained in the recent loss to Roma, but Berardi may be back for Monday’s match.

However, Daniel Boloca (knee), Laurs Skjellerup (muscular) and long-term absentee Edoardo Pieragnolo (ACL) are still on the treatment table.

Sure to lead the hosts’ three-man attack, Pinamonti has scored in both of his last two league meetings with former club Genoa, having found the net 15 times for the Grifone across two different spells at Stadio Ferraris.

Between them, Pinamonti and Lauriente have scored half of Sassuolo’s 10 goals so far, but no Genoa players have managed more than one.

Once again, AC Milan loanee Lorenzo Colombo and promising teenager Jeff Ekhator will vie to spearhead the visitors’ misfiring front line; meanwhile, industrious midfielder Patrizio Masini tops both the tackles and duels won charts in Serie A.

As Nicolae Stanciu is expected to recover from a thigh problem, interim coach Criscito should have a full squad to choose from.

Sassuolo possible starting lineup:

Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muharemovic, Doig; Vranckx, Matic, Kone; Berardi, Pinamonti, Lauriente

Genoa possible starting lineup:

Leali; Norton-Cuffy, Ostigard, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup, Masini; Ellertsson, Malinovskyi, Vitinha; Ekhator

SM words green background