In his inaugural match as Sassuolo’s head coach, Davide Ballardini faced a dual setback, as defensive lapses contributed to both Verona’s triumph, courtesy of Karol Swiderski, and a season-ending injury to Domenico Berardi.
Both teams, situated in the relegation zone with 20 points each, approached the fixture seeking a crucial victory. Following the dismissal of Alessio Dionisi, Sassuolo suffered a resounding 6-1 defeat to Napoli under the interim management of Emiliano Bigica, prompting the appointment of Ballardini. With only Mattia Viti absent, Berardi returned to action after a prolonged absence due to a knee injury. Despite holding Juventus to a 2-2 draw in their previous home fixture, Hellas Verona had to contend with the absence of Michael Folorunsho due to flu symptoms.
The match saw Kristian Thorstvedt testing Sassuolo’s goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipò with a powerful half-volley from Berardi’s delivery, while Marcus Pedersen’s intervention almost resulted in an own goal. Thomas Henry’s attempt missed the target narrowly.
Andrea Consigli showcased remarkable reflexes with a double save from a deflected shot by Toma Suslov and the subsequent effort from Jovane Cabal.
Sassuolo’s offensive endeavors were thwarted as Noslin narrowly missed connecting with Cabal’s cross and Berardi’s free kick narrowly evaded the far post.
However, Berardi’s return was marred by misfortune as he suffered a suspected Achilles tendon tear in his right leg, necessitating his premature departure from the field. Initial assessments from Sassuolo’s medical team indicate a season-ending injury, also ruling him out of EURO 2024.
As Sassuolo pressed forward in search of an equalizer, defensive negligence allowed Verona to capitalize. Matheus Henrique’s lapse in midfield facilitated Federico Bonazzoli’s delivery to Swiderski, whose strike, deflected by Martin Erlic, deceived Consigli to grant Verona the lead, marking Swiderski’s debut Serie A goal.
Despite Sassuolo’s efforts to claw back into the game, their offensive endeavors lacked efficacy, leaving them vulnerable to conceding further opportunities on the counterattack orchestrated by Bonazzoli.
Verona 1-0 Sassuolo