Sassuolo running hot ahead of Fiorentina visit
Sassuolo welcome Fiorentina to Mapei Stadium in looking to build on their impressive 2-0 win at Inter Milan at the weekend.
The Black and Greens have been at the same level that they were at under Roberto De Zerbi this season, but they still have a lot of dangerous players and they showed their class at San Siro, spicing up the title race as a result.
Fiorentina have continued their gradual progression as a Serie A despite Dusan Vlahovic’s departure to Juventus in January and will fancy their chances of yielding a positive result on Saturday evening.
The Purples have a great chance to break into the top seven and are not performing dissimilarly to Sassuolo in the last couple of campaigns.
Process
It would be a great achievement for Vincenzo Italiano if Fiorentina can crack the top seven in his first season in charge.
Similar to the top six in England before the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City and West Ham United stepped up, the top seven has been established in Serie A for some years now.
The Purples are seventh, one point above Jose Mourinho’s Roma with a game in hand, and they will be optimistic of kicking on to contend for one of the European qualification places.
Lazio and Atalanta look fragile at the moment and Fiorentina could be the team to pounce.
Italiano’s men have been strong defensively along with being enterprising going forward also and are conceding just 1.20 expected goals (xG) against per game on average.
Without Vlahovic they do not carry the same attacking threat, but their solid defensive process provides the platform for Fiorentina to have a positive final few months of the season and to stay in the game at Mapei Stadium on Saturday.
Goals?
Overs was tempting as is the way in Serie A this season, but the lines are quite short and the goal-crazy theme of the league has quietened down a touch in the last month or so.
Sassuolo have scored in eight of ten.
Sassuolo have conceded in eight of ten.
Sassuolo have seen both teams score in six of ten.
Sassuolo have seen over 2.5 goals in six of ten.
Fiorentina have scored in eight of ten.
Fiorentina have conceded in eight of ten.
Fiorentina have seen both teams score in six of ten.
Fiorentina have seen over 2.5 goals in seven of ten.
Goals was tempting but Sassuolo have been fortunate in their rearguard of late and Fiorentina could exploit that to yield a positive result.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
A 94th minute Sassuolo winner scuppers us after Fiorentina equalised late on with ten men. 2-1.