Two top-ten teams prepare to clash as Chievo host Sassuolo on Saturday at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi in Verona with both teams looking to improve recent mediocre showings.
Chievo remain in tenth place, a full 26 points off league leaders Napoli, while they hope to build on the success of their 2-1 victory last week over Torino, which ended a three game losing streak where they feel 1-0 to Inter, 4-0 to Juventus, and 4-1 to Lazio.
Coach Roland Maran praised his side for coming back to win after going behind in the first half in Turin.
The Neroverdi have struggled as of late, failing to produce a single victory since the first game of 2016, they have also managed just three points in their last six games.
Most recently Sassulo gave up a goal-advantage to draw 2-2 with Palermo after falling 2-0 at home against Roma. Eusebio Di Francesco’s side also drew 1-1 with both Atalanta and Torino, while Bologna managed to take all three points from their encounter with a 2-0 victory.
Sassuolo remain tied with Empoli in seventh place, six points off Milan.
The two sides have previously met six times, each taking two wins, two losses and two draws, in matches that have rarely seen more than one goal per side.
In their most recent clash in October of 2015, the sides drew 1-1 when Gregoire Defrel’s opener was cancelled out by Simone Pepe in the 24th minute.
Following a remarkable break out season, the Neroverdi’s Domeninco Berardi has struggled to replicate his peak form, having only found the net four times in 17 appearances, while the home sides feels the loss of top scorer Alberto Paloschi, who found the net eight times in 21 appearances before joining Swansea City in the Premier League.
Chievo will be missing several players including Mariano Izco, Riccardo Meggiorini, and Alessandro Gamberini, with Simone Pepe set to be evaluated.
While Sassuolo have had numerous key players injured throughout the season, only Karim Laribi is expected to miss the fixture.
Form Guide: Chievo (W-L-L-L-D) Sassuolo (D-L-D-L-D)
Expected Starting XIs
Chievo: Bizzarri, Frey, Dainelli, Cesar, Gobbi, Pinzi, Radovanovic, Castro, Birsa, Mpoku, Inglese.
Sassuolo: Consigli, Vrsaljko, Cannavaro, Acerbi, Peluso, Missiroli, Magnanelli, Duncan, Berardi, Falcinelli, Sansone.
