Roma v Sassuolo is a Serie A Week 26 match to be played on Sunday at 18:00: odds, predictions, TV and streaming.
Roma’s solid, cynical and skittish side also worked in the Europa League, and last Thursday’s Stadio Olimpico proved impregnable for Real Sociedad, who were beaten 2-0 in the second leg of their play-off tie to reach the round of 16.
El Shaarawy in the first half and then Kumbulla three minutes from the final whistle gave José Mourinho’s side a crucial victory, and they can now head to Spain next week with the knowledge that they will go through to the quarter-finals even if they lose by just one goal. A few days earlier it was Juventus’ turn, meanwhile, to come to terms with the harsh ‘law’ of the capital’s stadium – the Bianconeri were punished by a goal from defender Mancini – where Roma have not lost since the Coppa Italia match against Cremonese a month and a half ago. Since then the Giallorossi have won all four successive home matches, always keeping their goal unbeaten. Pellegrini and his team-mates defend very well, they score in spades but do so with some continuity: it is no coincidence that they have always scored at least one goal in the last twelve league matches. They will have to do it more often if the goal is to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League.
A challenge that often ends in a draw
The victory over the Bianconeri meanwhile allowed Mourinho – who will not be on the bench in the next two matches, Sassuolo and Lazio, due to his disqualification for the Cremona incident – to retake Milan on 47 points and stay in the Biancocelesti’s slipstream. They are therefore in no position to underestimate Sassuolo, who despite no longer having much motivation remain a possible loose cannon in this final part of the season.
The neroverdi have only lost to Napoli since mid-January, winning their last two matches against Lecce and Cremonese. In last Monday’s match against the Grigiorossi, which ended in a pyrotechnic 3-2, they achieved their fourth success in six rounds. The red zone is now a distant memory for Alessio Dionisi’s side, now 12 points clear of third-last place and not far from seventh. Looking back, Sassuolo have only beaten Roma once in the 19 matches between the two sides in Serie A since they have been in the league. The most recurring result, however, is the draw: the Capitolini have only won on one occasion (September 2021) in the last six clashes with the Emilian side. Last November, in the match that went down in history for Mourinho’s outburst against Karsdorp, it ended 1-1.
Roma v Sassuolo: latest line-up info
Mourinho will have to do without captain Pellegrini, who was injured in the cup match against Real Sociedad. The other absence concerns the midfield line: Cristante will be missing, disqualified. In the middle the Portuguese coach could give a chance to Bove, while in the three-quarter, with Dybala, there will be El Shaarawy again. Zalweski and Spinazzola will play on the flanks, and Smalling could also be involved.
Abundance returns to Sassuolo’s attack. Berardi will be back with Laurienté and Pinamonti, but Defrel, who is fighting for a shirt with the former Empoli player, will also be on his toes. The other ballot is in midfield, where Maxime Lopez seems to be ahead of Obiang.
The prediction
Sassuolo are a healthy team who no longer have the nagging of salvation and could create some headaches for a Roma side who probably need to catch their breath after a busy week in which they have expended a lot of energy between the Europa League and the league. Another draw with both teams scoring cannot be ruled out.
Roma v Sassuolo likely line-up
- ROMA (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio; Mancini, Smalling, Ibanez; Zalewski, Wijnaldum, Bove, Spinazzola; Dybala, El Shaarawy; Abraham.
- SASSUOLO (4-3-3): Consigli; Zortea, Erlic, Tressoldi, Rogerio; Frattesi, Maxime Lopez, Matheus Henrique; Berardi, Pinamonti, Laurienté.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
