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

Winless after 13 rounds, Fiorentina travel to mid-table Sassuolo aiming to end their miserable Serie A start in Saturday’s 14th gameweek action at Mapei Stadium.

No team has ever avoided relegation from this position in the league’s history, something Paolo Vanoli seeks to change for the Viola, whose 23-year presence in the top flight is undeniably in danger now.

Match preview

Sassuolo were powerless to resist Como extending their unbeaten home run to seven last time out, with their 2-0 defeat to the Lariani ending a two-match unbeaten streak.

The Neroverdi have made a promising return to Italy’s top flight, winning five of their 13 league fixtures – losing six and drawing two – while scoring and conceding 16 goals each.

As a result, Fabio Grosso’s team stand a healthy 10 points clear of the bottom three, while sitting seven points shy of sixth-place Bologna, who occupy the final European qualification place.

While the Emilia-Romagna side aim for an ambitious European berth, they must improve on their results at home to have any real chance, having secured seven of their 17 points at Mapei Stadium.

Entering Saturday’s match without a victory in front of their supporters in three, losing two during that period after consecutive wins over Lazio (1-0) and Udinese (3-1), Grosso’s team now face the prospect of going four without success in Reggio Emilia.

However, the Neroverdi will back themselves to snap their three-match winless run against the division’s joint-worst team, whose dismal season continued with last weekend’s 2-0 defeat by Atalanta.

Moise Kean may have struck the woodwork again – the third time and the most this season – as Vanoli’s team slipped to their seventh league defeat in 13 games.

No team has ever survived relegation from Fiorentina’s position, highlighting the uphill challenge the Viola must overcome to retain their top-flight status since gaining promotion in 2002.

While victory would not lift the Tuscans, currently on six points, out of the bottom three, it would draw them closer to the teams on 11 points from 15th to 17th – Cagliari, Genoa and Parma – whom they cannot allow to pull further away.

To achieve this, the team with the third-fewest away goals (four) in the league must play better in the attacking third in Emilia-Romagna, where they were beaten 1-0 on their last visit in April 2024.

Vanoli has inherited a team with the second-worst away record in the league (four points), and the winless new boss faces a challenging time to lift the mood and change the tide in Florence before Christmas.

Sassuolo Serie A form:

Fiorentina Serie A form:

Fiorentina form (all competitions):

Team News

While Luca Lipani is a doubt due to illness, Grosso’s lengthy list of absentees include Domenico Berardi (muscle), Edoardo Pieragnolo (knee), Aster Vranckx, Daniel Boloca (knee), Filippo Romagna (calf), Stefano Turati (wrist), Laurs Skjellerup (muscle) and Yeferson Paz (hip).

Without Berardi, who has contributed four goals and provided three assists, Andrea Pinamonti (four goals) hopes to take on extra responsibility for the Neroverdi, with Armand Lauriente (two goals, one assist) playing a supporting role.

While Rolando Mandragora leads the scoring charts for Fiorentina with three league goals, the Viola need last year’s leading marksman – Kean – to start scoring consistently to lift spirits in Florence.

The Italy international could start alongside Albert Gudmundsson on Saturday as Vanoli seeks answers to the Viola’s struggles.

Martin Pongracic will not play due to suspension for accumulating five yellow cards, while Tariq Lamptey (knee) and Robin Gosens (thigh) are injured.

Sassuolo possible starting lineup:

Muric; Walukiewicz, Izdes, Muharemovic, Doig; Thorstvedt, Matic, Kone; Volpato, Pinamonti, Lauriente

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

De Gea; Comuzzo, Mari, Ranieri; Dodo, Mandragora, Fagioli, Sohm, Parisi; Kean, Gudmundsson

We say: Sassuolo 1-0 Fiorentina

This one is tricky to call; Sassuolo are winless in their last three in Reggio Emilia, while Fiorentina have failed to score in four of their seven away games this term.

Nonetheless, the Neroverdi have at least shown better goalscoring form at Mapei, failing to score only twice in six matches as hosts.

As a result, Sassuolo may edge Saturday’s game by the narrowest of margins.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.