In the new 2015 Serie A year, Sassuolo find themselves in the bottom half of the table. Forza Italian Football brings you a review of all that has happened in Sassuolo’s slow-starting 2014 year.
Two contrasting runs of results have so far marked the 2014-15 season for Sassuolo.
The Neroverdi took eight attempts to win their first game in their inaugural Serie A campaign and again would have to wait until their eighth match this year, as they were the last side to secure a league win.
After a winless run of seven matches, including a demoralising repeat of the 7–0 defeat to Inter, they turned a corner after holding leaders Juventus to a draw at the Mapei Stadium before going on a club record unbeaten run in the top flight.
This streak was ended at Palermo after five wins and four draws in Serie A that saw them reach the Coppa Italia Round of 16 and 12th position in Serie A, the highest placed of all the professional teams in Emilia-Romagna.
Transfer Hit & Flop
Astute summer signings Andrea Consigli, Sime Vrsaljko and Federico Peluso have all been expected ‘hits’, but perhaps the biggest surprise has been Saphir Taider, after he arrived on the final day of the transfer window from Inter in surreal circumstances.
Sent back to Italy by Ronald Koeman after three weeks into his season-long loan at Southampton for failing to impress with his form or work ethic, the Algeria international midfielder has sought to rebuild his reputation in Reggio Emilia. Two assists and a superb strike against Parma, as well as scoring the winning goal when Sassuolo came from behind to beat Hellas Verona, have shown that the 22-year-old can still recapture the promise he showed at Bologna.
Leonardo Pavoletti, on the other hand, was widely expected to leave Sassuolo during the summer when the club exercised their right to buy the forward back from Varese after scoring 24 goals in 38 games in Serie B last season. Pavoletti remained with the Neroverdi, but has only managed 126 minutes over eight substitute appearances in Serie A thus far.
Coach
Rewarded with a new two-year contract after triumphantly returning in March to save Sassuolo from relegation, Eusebio Di Francesco has consolidated the club’s position in Serie A this season.
Widely praised for his philosophy of promoting youth and attacking football, “Difra” has also focused on improving on last season’s woeful defensive record of 72 goals conceded with the Neroverdi involved in four goalless draws so far this season.
However, he has been left increasingly frustrated in recent weeks with his side dropping five points after conceding in stoppage time in each of their last three matches.
Best goal — Francesco Acerbi v Parma
Simone Zaza’s left-foot volley over the shoulder from a tight angle against Cagliari on the opening weekend may have been spectacular, but Acerbi converting a Domenico Berardi cross in a desperate Derby d’Emilia was the most meaningful.
After twice overcoming testicular cancer in the last year, the central defender helped Sassuolo secure their first win of the season by scoring his second Serie A goal 944 days after his first for Chievo against Siena in March 2012.
