Sassuolo vs Lazio – News and Probable Lineups

Lazio aims to continue their remarkable season start on Tuesday evening as they take on a struggling Sassuolo team in Serie A.

The Biancocelesti have gone unbeaten in their opening eight league matches for the first time since the 1999-00 season, a campaign they famously concluded by winning the Scudetto.

Match overview

With the Serie A title race heating up, Lazio moved to the top of the table on Saturday night, surpassing defending champions Inter de Milão after yet another home victory.

After the record-setting Biancocelesti defeated Juventus with a score of 3-0 in Turin, they followed up with a 2-1 victory against Parma in Rome, bringing their points tally to 22 from eight games.

Everything is seemingly falling into place as Gennaro Gattuso’s squad has scored at least two goals in each of their last six encounters while only Inter has hit the woodwork more frequently.

Moreover, they are the sole team in Europe’s top five leagues that has not conceded a first-half goal, boasting the best defensive stats in Serie A.

Before their trip to Reggio-Emilia, the Biancocelesti’s last away defeat was in May against Roma in the Derby della Capitale – they have also secured victories in four of their last six Serie A clashes with Sassuolo.

If that wasn’t enough to demoralize the Neroverdi, their struggle with form, acquiring only one point from their past four matches, certainly won’t do them any favors.

After suffering a 4-2 defeat to newly-promoted Frosinone and losing 2-0 to Como last Saturday, Sassuolo finds themselves closer to the relegation zone, currently sitting with just eight points.

While Como showcased an impressive style of football, Sassuolo managed only seven attempts during the match at Stadio Sinigaglia, with none on target.

Sassuolo hasn’t recorded a clean sheet in Serie A, thus, aside from their Coppa Italia involvement – where they will face Juventus in the last-16 in December – Alberto Aquilani’s tenure has not been particularly satisfying.

Since his appointment, he has yet to achieve an away win, and the Neroverdi’s winless away run extends to 11 matches, although their home form remains solid.

Team News

It remains uncertain whether certain players will be fit to feature at the Mapei Stadium, as Adam Marusic and Nicolo Rovella could also be absent from the squad.

After breaking a 13-match goal drought in Serie A by scoring the opener against Parma, Kenneth Taylor is expected to partner former Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi in the center of the pitch.

The Neroverdi will likely rely on Domenico Berardi for creativity, with the forward having netted 132 goals in the top flight since 2013.

Sebastiano Esposito and Kieron Bowie will continue to compete for a spot in the starting XI, while goalkeeper Arijanet Muric aims to reclaim his position from Stefano Turati after a third significant error this season saw him sidelined last weekend.

In addition to injury woes, Ismael Kone, Jay Idzes, Daniel Boloca, and Belgian defender Fedde Leysen will all be unavailable; however, experienced midfielder Nemanja Matic should be ready to participate despite being substituted early against Como due to fatigue.

Sassuolo probable starting XI:

Turati; Cinquegrano, Caleta-Car, Odenthal, Doig; Lipani, Matic, Thorstvedt; Berardi, Esposito, Lauriente

Lazio probable starting XI:

Mandas; Floriani Mussolini, Sutalo, Doekhi, Tavares; Frattesi, Belahyane, Taylor; Isaksen, Noslin, Zaccagni

While Sassuolo may not be in great form, they have a history of causing upsets against Serie A’s top teams, and typically prove to be difficult opponents on home soil.

Thus, while Lazio’s surprising run of success could potentially be challenged, they are likely to extend their unbeaten streak.