Two sides hovering just above the Serie A relegation zone meet at the Mapei Stadium on Friday, when Sassuolo host Genoa.

Both clubs are currently tied on 16 points, just four points above the bottom three, heading into the final matchday before Christmas.

Match preview

While Sassuolo have kept up their infamous scoring habits, the results have not come with it this season.

Despite remarkably scoring the same amount of goals as second-placed Juventus, Sassuolo are a staggering 21 points worse off, with a leaky defence contributing to many dropped points for Alessio Dionisi's side.

Along with Salernitana, Sassuolo are the only other Serie A side yet to keep a clean sheet this season, and the league's bottom club are the only team to have conceded more than the Neroverdi's worrying tally of 30.

When Sassuolo have claimed victory, they have made sure it was in dramatic circumstances, as the top two - Inter Milan and Juve - have both suffered defeat to Dionisi's men, while a 4-3 win over Empoli last month perfectly encapsulates the Neroverdi.

However, wins are hard to come by, as the hosts have won just one of their last 10 games, and they are currently on a five-game winless streak at the Mapei Stadium.

While ill-discipline cost Sassuolo dearly against Roma and Cagliari, it was Udinese's lack of which allowed Dionisi's side to earn an unlikely draw at the weekend.

After going 2-0 down in Udine, the hosts had Martin Payero sent off before they then conceded two penalties, both which were converted by the pivotal figure of Domenico Berardi.

Alberto Gilardino's talent of taking points off the biggest clubs in Serie A continued last weekend, when his Genoa side held Juventus to a 1-1 draw at Marassi.

Despite playing five of last season's top eight at home already this season, Genoa have lost just twice in 10 here.

The Juve result extended a run of five without a win for the Rossoblu, but it was a morale-boosting result as they look to recover from a worrying run of form that has seen the newly-promoted side slip towards the drop zone.

Away form is the glaring problem, as they have taken only one point from a possible 24 in their last eight on the road.

The Mapei Stadium has not been a particularly fruitful venue for Genoa to visit either, as they have failed to win on their last six visits, conceding 15 goals in the process.

Ideally, that has to change here, as Gilardino's men face an irresistible Inter side in their final fixture of 2023, so they may find themselves dragged further into trouble if they fail to pick anything up in Reggio Emilia.

Team News

Berardi's return from suspension was much needed last week, as the Italian international scored both of Sassuolo's goals at Udinese, and he will be the first name on the team sheet here.

The hosts will be without Matias Vina and Agustin Alvarez with knee injuries, though, while Pedro Obiang and Mattia Viti are also sidelined.

Samu Castillejo and Nedim Bajrami will be pushing for a start, but Dionisi may go with an unchanged side from the draw in Udine.

Berardi is unlikely to come up against fellow Italy international Mateo Retegui, though, as the Genoa striker missed the Juve clash with injury.

This is the third time already this season that the summer signing has missed out, but on this occasion, his issue is not expected to be as serious.

In Retegui's absence though, Albert Gudmundsson stepped up to the plate again, scoring his sixth goal of the season to equalise against the Old Lady after only recently returning from injury himself.

A hamstring issue has kept veteran midfielder Kevin Strootman out for all of December so far, and the 33-year-old has been ruled out again here.

Sassuolo possible starting lineup:
Consigli; Toljan, Erlic, Ferrari, Pedersen; Matheus Henrique, Boloca, Thorstvedt; Berardi, Pinamonti, Lauriente

Genoa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; De Winter, Bani, Dragusin; Sabelli, Frendrup, Badelj, Malinovskyi, Vasquez; Junior Messias, Gudmundsson

We say: Sassuolo 1-1 Genoa

With just one win in 10 for the hosts, and none in their last five for Genoa, this is set to be a cagey encounter against two sides looking to move away from the drop zone.

Draws have been common for Sassuolo, and despite Genoa's very poor away form this season, this will likely end in a stalemate.


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