The Serie A season is approaching its finale with a mere five games left to play. As only a maxiumun of 15 points are left available, mathematics begins to play a part in a team’s psyche. The league becomes split with those who have something to play for and those that don’t.
In Italy, traditionally if a side has no further aims (typically safe from the drop or not fighting for a European spot) they tend not to try so hard. In fact, it is almost frowned upon should they fight for a victory over a team that does still have something to play for.
Unfortunately, the Sassuolo run-in features only one team that can be considered as having ‘nothing to play for’ and that is Genoa. Their difficult schedule is then made up of Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Chievo. Those four clubs all continue to have goals they need reach before they can safely begin to think about booking a summer holiday destinations.
So things are looking rather tough for the Neroverdi. The 1-1 home draw with fellow strugglers Cagliari was a missed opportunity, a case of two points dropped for Eusebio Di Francesco’s men. Luca Antei’s trip on Victor Ibarbo, which gifted the Sardinians a point, was certainly a case of inexperience. The young ex-Roma youth player should never have made the challenge in the box, as the wily Columbian forward made sure the referee had no option but to give a spot kick.
We have often lauded the exhuberent youthful element of the Sassuolo side, but we do now wonder whether the kids are going to have the mentality to make the right decisions given their precarious league position.
As our title suggests, matters are starting to come to a head now for the Serie A debutants and their tough end-of-season calendar really will sort the men from the boys.
This weekend sees another ‘must win’ match as Di Francesco travels to Verona to face Chievo. The Flying Donkeys smashed four past Livorno last Sunday and will be hoping to relieve their own relegation fears by dispatching the men from the Mapei Stadium.
Di Francesco will have Paolo Cannavaro back at the heart of his defence and will once again look to his youthful trio of Nicola Sansone, Simone Zaza and Domenico Berardi in attack, to get him the goals.
Juvnetus loan player Luca Marrone is back in training and may feature in the midfield to add a bit more bite against the Clivense.
Paolo Bianco, Matteo Brighi and Thomas Manfredini all look to be unavailable as they are currently training apart from the main squad, rehabilitating from various injury niggles.
Despite Sassuolo sitting in the relegation zone for much of the season, two of their squad have made an impression in the top ranks of italian football. Both Zaza and Berardi have this week attended a pre-World Cup squad training session with 40 other players. These players can be considered to be those that are in with a chance of making the final cut for the trip to Brazil.
Though the chances of the two Neroverdi making it on that plane are slim, it does show that their efforts this season have not gone unnoticed.
And with that we shall finish on our usual battle cry and pray that our Azzurri hopefuls can get us the three points on Sunday… Forza Sasol!
