Sports Mole previews Monday’s Serie A clash between Sassuolo and Pisa, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Both promoted back to Serie A last season, Sassuolo and Pisa will aim to boost their survival hopes on Monday, when they meet at the Mapei Stadium.
While the Neroverdi produced a big win in Bergamo just before the break, their Tuscan counterparts finally posted a first top-flight victory for 34 years.
Match preview
As is so often the case, Sassuolo’s latest success was inspired by their long-serving talisman Domenico Berardi, who set up one goal and scored two more in a recent 3-0 away win over Atalanta BC.
The Neroverdi leapfrogged La Dea in the Serie A standings with an impressive performance, as Berardi followed his first-half penalty by laying on Andrea Pinamonti’s strike just after the restart; for good measure, the Italy winger then added a third midway through the second half.
That result took Sassuolo up to eighth place, with 16 points from 11 matches, and their comeback campaign has exceeded expectations so far.
Promoted as Serie B champions last spring, the Emilian club have bounced back strongly from relegation in 2024, having held onto most of their key players.
Now, Fabio Grosso’s side must face familiar opponents from their brief visit to the second tier, after both teams won at home last season.
While it was Sassuolo who came out on top in March, Pisa had won the reverse fixture 3-1 just a few weeks earlier: Matteo Tramoni bagged a brace either side of Idrissa Toure’s strike at Arena Garibaldi.
For the very first time, the Nerazzurri will now visit the Mapei Stadium in Serie A, having taken a little longer to adapt to Italy’s top flight than their hosts.
After 10 unsuccessful attempts, Pisa earned a first league win of the season last time out, as Toure’s headed goal secured victory over another promoted side, playoff winners Cremonese.
The Tuscan club could finally celebrate Serie A success, having waited for such a moment since 1991, and three points edged them further clear of the drop zone.
Still deep in danger, they will try to build more momentum on Monday, as they seek a first top-flight away win for 34 years – so far, Alberto Gilardino’s side have posted three draws and two defeats on the road.
Sassuolo Serie A form:
W D L W L W
Pisa Serie A form:
L D D D D W
Team News
Though Sassuolo’s Daniel Boloca returned to full training during the international break, Filippo Romagna, Laurs Skjellerup, Edoardo Pieragnolo and Cristian Volpato are still sidelined.
That will not affect Grosso’s starting lineup, where his main selection calls could come on the left flank: Josh Doig and Armand Lauriente both hope to regain their places, ahead of Fali Cande and Alieu Fadera.
Against Atalanta, Fadera joined joint-top scorers Pinamonti and Berardi in a front three: the latter has now made 409 appearances for the Neroverdi, recording 264 goal involvements.
Meanwhile, only Stefano Moreo and M’Bala Nzola have scored more than once for Pisa, who have collectively found the net just eight times across 13 league and cup games this term.
They should be paired up front on Monday, though Henrik Meister will try to displace the latter, who was away with Angola last week.
Gilardino is still without Calvin Stengs, Tomas Esteves and Mateus Lusuardi, while a shoulder injury for Inter Milan loanee Ebenezer Akinsanmiro will prompt a change of personnel in central midfield.
Sassuolo possible starting lineup:
Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muharemovic, Doig; Thorstvedt, Matic, Kone; Berardi, Pinamonti, Lauriente
Pisa possible starting lineup:
Semper; Calabresi, Canestrelli, Caracciolo; Toure, Marin, Aebischer, Vural, Leris; Moreo, Nzola
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We say: Sassuolo 1-1 Pisa
There is no doubt that Sassuolo are well equipped to survive – and even thrive – in Serie A, while Pisa have become much tougher to beat in recent weeks.
After a run of five games without defeat – including draws with AC Milan and Lazio – the visitors can claim another precious point in Reggio Emilia.
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