Sassuolo and Frosinone are separated by three places and four points in the Serie A standings as they prepare to face each other in gameweek 28 at the MAPEI Stadium on Saturday. Sassuolo, currently positioned second from the bottom at home, has suffered four consecutive defeats. Conversely, Frosinone’s recent streak of poor performances was interrupted by last weekend’s draw against Lecce.
Match preview
Davide Ballardini’s tenure at Sassuolo has yet to yield the desired turnaround, as evidenced by the Emilia-Romagna club’s recent defeat in a crucial relegation encounter against Hellas Verona. The 1-0 loss marked Sassuolo’s fourth consecutive defeat and their 17th in Serie A this season, a tally matched only by the league’s bottom-dwellers, Salernitana. With hopes of avoiding an 18th defeat looming, Ballardini’s upcoming home debut assumes significant importance for the team.
Charged with the task of steering Sassuolo clear of relegation this season, Ballardini faces the immediate challenge of shoring up the team’s defensive vulnerabilities. The Neroverdi have conceded a staggering 55 goals so far, with only this weekend’s opponents having allowed more (56). Notably, Sassuolo has failed to keep a clean sheet in their last nine outings.
Sassuolo’s performances at the Mapei Stadium have been disappointing throughout the campaign. Despite starting February with four points from their first two home matches, defeats against Empoli (3-2) and Napoli (6-1) have dampened their prospects.
While Sassuolo boasts a relatively favorable record against this weekend’s opponents, previous encounters offer little comfort. In their last meeting, Eusebio Di Francesco’s side succumbed to a 4-2 defeat, indicating the potential for a challenging fixture ahead.
Should Frosinone secure a victory in Reggio Emilia, it would mark a significant achievement, as the club has not achieved a double over Sassuolo since the 2015-16 season. However, Frosinone’s own struggles away from home present an opportunity for Sassuolo to capitalize, with the visitors having amassed just three points on their travels this season, the second-lowest tally in the league.
Despite not having the fewest goals scored away from home in Serie A, Frosinone’s defensive frailties on the road have been glaring, conceding 33 goals in 13 away fixtures, the highest in the division. Addressing these defensive shortcomings will be paramount for the club as they seek to end a 12-game streak without a clean sheet in Reggio Emilia.
Team News
Mattia Viti’s participation is uncertain due to unspecified reasons, while Domenico Berardi has concluded his tenure with Sassuolo for the 2023-24 season following a significant knee injury sustained over the past weekend.
In a previous encounter, Andrea Pinamonti demonstrated his prowess by scoring two goals, thereby positioning himself to potentially achieve double-digit goal tallies for the second time within three seasons upon his next league goal.
Similarly, Luca Mazzitelli exhibited his scoring ability with a brace during the aforementioned match’s reverse fixture, aiding Frosinone in overcoming a two-goal deficit to secure a 4-2 victory.
Manager Di Francesco faces the challenge of coping with multiple injuries within the team. Mateus Lusuardi, Anthony Oyono, and Sergio Kalaj are questionable for participation, while Abdou Harroui (muscle injury), Kevin Bonifazi (knee injury), and Riccardo Marchizza (tendon injury) are anticipated to be sidelined.
Sassuolo possible starting lineup:
Consigli; Pedersen, Ferrari, Erlic, Doig; Boloca, Henrique; Lauriente, Thorstvedt, Castillejo; Pinamonti
Frosinone possible starting lineup:
Cerofolini; Zortea, Okoli, Romagnoli, Valeri; Brescianini, Mazzitelli, Gelli; Soule, Cheddira, Carvalho