Serie A: Free-scoring Sassuolo Spells Danger for Roma

Sassuolo vs AS Roma

With another international weekend behind us we’re back to domestic matters and the pressure is beginning to rise as we approach the business end of the season.

Serie A: Sassuolo vs Roma at the Mapei Stadium on Sunday is a case in point. The hosts can feel reasonably relaxed, sitting in eighth place on 39 points and 17 clear of the drop zone. And they are 11 points behind sixth placed Roma so the chances of reaching a European place are very slim.

But for the visitors this match comes at a pivotal point in their season and they are under immense pressure to win. Three defeats in five have left Roma’s top four hopes hanging by a thread and they currently sit in sixth place in the Serie A league table, five points behind Atalanta who occupy fourth and also three behind Napoli who are on a charge in fifth.

Paulo Fonseca’s side will hope the international break has done them good and they can return to winning ways when they arrive in Reggio nell’Emilia. The Sassuolo vs Roma betting odds pitch Roma as favourites but it won’t be easy.

Talking Points

Berardi can hurt an off colour Roma

Roberto de Zerbi has led Sassuolo to a very comfortable position in a competitive Serie A and his team has become renowned for its free scoring attack. Strike duo Francesco Caputo and Domenico Berardi have 11 goals each from 22 games and four assists each, and Berardi was in brilliant form in Italy’s World Cup qualifying win over Northern Ireland.

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Serie A

Both were on target from the penalty spot in a recent 3-3 draw with Napoli, Caputo’s 95^th minute spot-kick grabbing a share of the spoils at the end of an action packed clash. With very little to play for over the remaining ten games of the season Sassuolo can play with freedom and adventure, which makes them a dangerous customer for any opponent.

That’s why I’m leaning towards the hosts with my SBOTOP tip today.

23 year old midfielder Manuel Locatelli has had an impressive season, and he too was on duty with the Azzurri last week. A deep lying midfield player who can dictate the pace of play, Locatelli will be on the lookout for his strikers who come against a Roma defence which has conceded twice in each of its last two away games.

Giallorossi needs to turn a corner

Roma faces a tricky task on Sunday and there will be more pressure on their shoulders than on those of their hosts. Roma’s recent meeting with Napoli which ended in a 2-0 home defeat followed on from a 2-0 loss to Parma, punctuated only by a Europa League success against Shakhtar Donetsk. Another setback on Sunday and Paulo Fonseca’s side might as well say goodbye to their top four aspirations.

Paulo Fonseca's Roma find themselves in an emergency situation in defence ahead of their Serie A match against Sassuolo — AS Roma coach Paulo Fonseca reacts during their Europa League Round of 16 Second Leg match vs Shakhtar Donetsk

The visitors look like being without the sidelined midfield duo of Jordan Veretout and

Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who are top scoring with ten goals and nine goals respectively.

Fonseca will look to his senior striker Edin Dzeko to add to his seven goals, while former Chelsea winger Pedro will take up the creative responsibilities in the absence of Mkhitaryan.

Meanwhile at the back, Brazilian defender Da Silva, on loan from Atalanta, will have his work cut out if Berardi is in the mood.

History

The visitors can take comfort from their head to head record against I Neroverdio. Sassuolo have won just one of the last 15 games against Roma, losing eight and drawing six.

During the last seven meetings with Sassuolo playing at home, Roma have won five, drawn one and lost one. But the hosts have lost just three of 13 home games this season and are unbeaten in the last three.

The return fixture, back in December, ended in a goalless draw, leaving the Giallorossi aggrieved when Pedro was sent off and Mkhitaryan had a goal chalked off by VAR after the video technology picked up a foul in the run up to the goal. If we get some more Sassuolo vs Roma highlights like that, with some goals, we’ll be happy.

Betting Tip

	Sassuolo vs AS Roma	Sassuolo Asian Handicap +0.50 @ 1.86
	April 03, 21:00 (GMT+8)

This will be a fascinating clash to watch with all three results well in play. Sassuolo are at 3.01 to win with the draw at 3.73 and Roma at 2.08.

Fonseca’s Roma have all to play for while Sassuolo could be heading for the beach quite soon, but the visitors have some key players injured and have been on a tricky run, while the relaxed hosts have some of their own players bang in form.

I can see another disappointment on the way for the Romans.