Preview:Sassuolo vs. Genoa - prediction, team news, lineups

Sassuolo host Genoa in Serie A on Wednesday afternoon, hoping to bounce back from last weekend's heavy defeat to Atalanta and close in on the Champions League places.

Meanwhile, the visitors are looking to go three league matches unbeaten and move out of the relegation zone, where they have been since early November.

Match preview

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Sassuolo's seven-game unbeaten run away from home came to a notable end as they were thrashed 5-1 away at Atalanta last weekend.

La Neroverdi missed the chance to move into third place in Serie A with defeat seeing them slip to sixth, four points behind Roma in fourth place.

Forward Francesco Caputo, who has six goals in 10 league appearances this campaign, returned to the side after a spell on the sidelines with an injury but failed to make an impact in what was a bad day at the office for Roberto De Zerbi's side.

Nevertheless, Sassuolo will be pleased with their start to the 2020-21 campaign and have belief that they can improve on last season's eighth-placed finish and qualify for one of the European competitions.

Sassuolo cruised to a 5-0 victory against Genoa in their previous meeting last season and will hope to replicate that performance and result on Wednesday afternoon.

Victory in midweek would be their eighth in the league this campaign and could see De Zerbi's men move up to fifth if Napoli fail to beat Spezia.

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Since Davide Ballardini returned to the club as manager two weeks ago, Genoa have picked up four points with a victory away at Spezia followed by a 1-1 draw at home to Lazio.

Ciro Immobile opened the scoring for the visitors in the 15th minute when he dispatched his spot kick but Mattia Destro's second half strike proved to be enough to secure a point for Genoa.

Il Grifone had endured a 12-match winless streak under former boss Rolando Maran, who as a result was sacked and replaced by Ballardini, who has returned for a fourth spell in charge of the Liguria-based outfit.

The 56-year-old has the task of guiding Genoa out of the drop zone for the second time in his career, after successfully avoiding relegation in the 2012-13 campaign.

Genoa could move out of the relegation zone and climb as high as 15th if they were to secure their second successive away victory on Wednesday.

Sassuolo Serie A form: DWDLWL

Genoa Serie A form: DLDLWD

Team News

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Sassuolo defender Filippo Romagna remains out with a knee injury sustained in March 2020, while winger Federico Ricci is a doubt for Wednesday's match.

Creative midfielder Filip Djuricic is also a doubt, but if fit could start ahead of Hamed Junior Traore, who has started the last four games.

German right-back Jeremy Toljan could return to the starting lineup and replace Mert Muldur.

Genoa's Goran Pandev (thigh strain), Luca Pellegrini (leg), Stefano Sturaro (hamstring) and Davide Biraschi (shoulder) are all ruled out with injuries.

Defenders Davide Zappacosta and Christian Zapata returned from injuries to start in the draw with Lazio and are set to keep their places in the starting XI.

Sassuolo possible starting lineup: Consigli; Toljan, Chiriches, Ferrari, Kyriakopoulos; Locatelli, Lopez; Berardi, Traore, Boga; Caputo

Genoa possible starting lineup: Perin; Masiello, Zapata, Criscito; Zappacosta, Behrami, Badelj, Rovella, Czyborra; Pjaca, Destro

We say: Sassuolo 3-1 Genoa

Despite Genoa's mini revival in recent weeks, Sassuolo – who have scored 10 goals in their last two home matches against them – have looked stronger throughout this season and should have enough to secure the three points.

Top betting tip