Both sides will be chasing an elusive three points when Sassuolo host Empoli at the Mapei Stadium in Serie A on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts are without a win in seven games dating back to a 1-0 victory over Inter on January 10, while the visitors haven’t picked up maximum points since beating Torino 1-0 on the same date. However, they have played one game less than their opponents since then.
Little separates the two sides in the league table with Sassuolo sitting eighth on 35 points and Marco Giampaolo’s men one point and one place behind in ninth, meaning a first win in seven for the away side would allow them to leapfrog their opponents.
Eusebio Di Francesco’s side have suffered three defeats and managed four draws over the course of their winless streak in a period that has seen them drop two places from sixth in the table.
Perhaps more damaging for Sassuolo is AC Milan’s improved form which has seen them overtake the Neroverdi and open up an eight point gap between them with Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men now occupying sixth position.
Meanwhile the Azzurri’s slump has seen them lose to Napoli and Frosinone, and draw with Atalanta, Udinese, Milan and Chievo to be dragged towards the middle of the table.
Having finished 15th last season, being comfortably mid-table at this stage of the season may still be a welcome relief for Giampaolo’s side, however a few short weeks ago more ambitious targets like European qualification were looking like an outside possibility.
When the two sides met in October at the Stadio Carlo Castellani, Empoli prevailed 1-0 thanks to a late Massimo Maccarone strike in a game that saw Piotr Zielinski sent off in the 90th minute.
Overall the sides have met 13 times with the Neroverdi having won six times, Empoli four times and three games ending in a draw.
In team news, the home side’s only absence through injury is expected to be midfielder Karim Laribi, while they have no suspensions to worry about.
The visitors meanwhile are without defender Andrea Costa and midfielder Daniele Croce who are both injured, as well as suspended Portuguese defender Mario Rui who has been one of the side’s top performers this season.
Form Guide: Sassuolo (L-D-L-D-D) Empoli (D-L-D-D-L)
Expected Starting XIs:
Sassuolo:. Consigli; Peluso, Acerbi, Cannavaro, Vrsaljko; Duncan, Magnanelli, Missiroli; Sansone, Falcinelli, Berardi
Empoli: Skorupski; Laurini, Ariaudo, Tonelli, Zambelli; Buchel, Paredes, Zielinski, Saponara; Maccarone, Pucciarelli.
