Sassuolo pulled off a minor miracle last season, beating the drop when many believed the minnows from Reggio Emilia had little chance of staying in the top flight. It was their inaugural Serie A campaign, débutantes in Italy’s premier division after having won the Serie B the previous year.
But doubters were proved wrong as the Neroverdi played an aggressive style of football under coach Eusebio di Francesco, using the old cliché that ‘the best form of defence is attack’. They shot their way to salvation with highlights of their year a thrilling 4-3 mauling of AC Milan as well as winning by the same scoreline away to Fiorentina.
Whether they have the bare-faced cheek to play such expansive tactics this year will be of huge interest to the followers of Serie A, though the fact that they have managed to hang on to their star players would suggest that the 2014/15 campaign will offer us just as many emotions in green and black as the previous season.
Transfers
The most important ‘transfers’ for Sassuolo have been those that have managed to remain at the club despite much interest from bigger sides. Teenage sensation Domenico Berardi will wear the club colours, on loan from Juventus and di Francesco will also have the services of his strike partners Nicola Sansone and Simone Zaza for at least one more campaign.
High profiles signings have arrived in the form of full back Federico Peluso, who has joined from the Bianconeri, offering some quality on the left side of defence and on the opposite side, the club has secured the services of Croatian Sime Vrsaljko, who has come from Genoa.
Outgoings include midfield man Luca Marrone (returned to parent club Juve) and defender Reto Ziegler who has left the club.
The coach – Eusebio di Francesco
Eusebio di Francesco deserves huge credit for the work he has done at the Mapei Stadium. Having guided his side to Serie A, he was unexpectedly sacked part way through the year (but only for around one month) when owners felt a change was needed to save the campaign.
Alberto Malesani who replaced him lost all of his games in his brief stint and a recharged di Francesco was re-instated and completed the work he started by saving the team from a return to Serie B.
His tactics are very much inspired from his days as a player at Roma under maverick tactician Zdenek Zeman. His forward thinking 4-3-3 formation has similar traits to those of his Czech mentor. But even he was outdone by his star pupil, as the Pescara-born coach swapped to a 4-2-4 system when in need of a goal to great effect in Sassuolo’s 4-2 win over Genoa which mathematically kept them in Serie A. Il Boemo would have been proud…
‘Difra’, as he is affectionately known has since been rewarded for his efforts with a new contract which keeps him at the helm of the Neroverdi till 2016.
Season Expectations
Understandably, fans will hope that their side will progress to a mid-table position and an early safe guarding of their top flight status. They will look to clubs like Chievo and even Atalanta, sides that have often flirted with Serie B but are now a mainstay of Serie A.
Continuity is key and the fact that the team is almost a photocopy of last season’s will be of great benefit to di Francesco. The club has added some experienced new faces and the signs are there that the Neroverdi will be better placed than division newcomers Palermo, Cesena and Empoli in avoiding relegation.
Should they fail to push on from last year, than expect another bottom-of-the-table battle to avoid the drop in amongst teams like Chievo and possibly Zeman’s Cagliari.
Prediction
Crucially, by keeping Zaza, Berardi, Sansone and the likes of Antonio Floro Flores and Sergio Floccari, Sassuolo have excellent options in the striker department. Goals should not be a problem but defensively, the likes of Paolo Cannavaro and Emanuele Terranova do not always inspire confidence.
Also, a recent long term injury to one of their star performers from last season, keeper Gianluca Pegolo, means that unless quality cover is brought in, backups Ciro Polito and Alberto Pomini do not have the quality to take over for an extended period of time.
However, if the defence can be improved expect a decent bottom half of the table finish for Sassuolo, well clear of the drop zone.
Where will they finish? 15th
