Prediction: Sassuolo vs Torino

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 6/4

Bookmaker: Betfair

Sassuolo ant Torino are set to face each other at Sassuolo’s Stadio Citta del Tricolore in Reggio Emilia on Monday, in the last game of the 28th round of the Serie A season. It should be an interesting mid-table clash between two very decent teams, and neither will be playing under particular pressure.

Sassuolo

It will be exactly 10 years since Sassuolo earned promotion to the Serie A this summer, and it’s more than safe to say that they’ve established themselves completely as a necessary and enriching part of the Italian top flight over that decade. They even played in the Europa League in 2016/17.

As things stand, Alessio Dionisi’s team are 12th in the Serie A table at this point, with 36 points. There’s a big gap (17 points wide and spanning five teams) between them and the relegation zone, and a big one (12 points, five teams) between them and sixth place as the last that leads into Europe.  Therefore, Sassuolo most likely won’t be playing in Europe next season, but they most certainly will play in the Serie A.

The Neroverdi have been on excellent form recently, losing only to runaway league leaders Napoli 0-2 at home in their last-six run. They also drew 2-2 away to Udinese, and beat Lecce 0-1 away, Cremonese 3-2 at home, Roma 3-4 away, and Spezia 1-0 at home. The only goal of that last game was the work of Domenico Berardi, who converted from the spot in the 71st minute.

Team News

Right-back Mert Muldur, who lacks match fitness after recovering from an ankle fracture, isn’t expected to return for this clash, but centre-back Ruan Tressoldi, who was suspended against Spezia, will be in contention.

Andrea Consigli will be in goal, with the duo of Ruan and Martin Erlic in the heart of defence probably flanked by Jeremy Toljan and Rogerio. Maxime Lopez will be shielding the back four as the designated defensive midfielder, with Davide Frattesi and Matheus Henrique playing between the boxes. Upfront, Berardi and Armand Lauriente are expected to flank striker Andrea Pinamonti.

Torino

Many things that have been said above for Sassuolo can be applied to Torino as well. At the moment, they are only a point ahead, sitting 11th, and just as unlikely to improve or spoil their status as a mid-table side in the Italian top flight between now and the end of the season. Sitting in the shadow of their great city rivals even after 15 points were docked from Juventus, Torino probably won’t be as happy with that as Sassuolo.

Further more, Ivan Juric’s team haven’t exactly enjoyed great form of late. Of their last six matches in all competitions (all of which belonged to the Serie A incidentally), they only won two. First they lost 1-0 away to AC Milan, then drew 2-2 at home against Cremonese, then lost the Derby of Turin 4-2 away to Juventus, then beat Bologna at home by 1-0 and followed that up with a 0-2 triumph away to Lecce, before suffering a 0-4 thumping at home at hands of Napoli.

Team News

Midfielder Ronaldo Vieira (knee) and defender David Zima (meniscus) are set to miss this game, but the rest of the squad should be at Juric’s disposal for the 270km trip to Reggio Emilia.

With Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in goal, the back line of three should be formed by Andreaw Gravillon, Perr Schuurs and Alessandro Buongiorno. Samuele Ricci and Karol Linetty are expected to pair up in the middle of the park, flanked by Stephane Singo and Ricardo Rodriguez. The Serbo-Croat duo of Nemanja Radonjic and Nikola Vlasic is likely to flank striker Antonio Sanabria upfront.,

Conclusion

There shouldn’t be too much tactical tinkering by either Dionisi or Juric for this clash. Both sides are likely to come out and play the best football they can, and no outcome can be ruled out in advance, but the hot form of Sassuolo could be enough to swing it their way.

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 6/4

Bookmaker: Betfair