Preview: Sassuolo vs Torino - prediction, team news, lineups

Two mid-table teams will meet for their final fixture before Christmas, as Sassuolo welcome Torino to the Mapei Stadium on Sunday.

Separated by four points in the Serie A standings, the Neroverdi lead their next visitors, who finally ended a long winless run last week.

Match preview

Continuing to impress in their comeback campaign, Sassuolo held out for a 2-2 draw with Scudetto challengers AC Milan last weekend, despite letting an early lead slip at San Siro.

Ismael Kone put the Neroverdi ahead with his third league goal of the season, but Milan struck back twice, scoring either side of the break.

Nonetheless, substitute Armand Lauriente was to have the final say with his 77th-minute leveller - and he still had time to strike the post.

Strong finishers, Sassuolo have now scored 11 of their 21 Serie A goals during the final half-hour, making them a dangerous proposition for opponents of all statures.

Having already beaten European hopefuls Lazio and Atalanta BC, Fabio Grosso's side are on the fringe of contention, although securing survival remains their objective.

They are well placed to fulfil it. Sitting safely in mid-table, only Premier League surprise package Sunderland have claimed more points when considering all teams newly promoted into one of Europe's top five leagues.

However, history will not be on Sassuolo's side this week: to date, the Emilian club have won just four of 22 top-flight games against Torino.

Curiously, no fewer than eight of 11 meetings at the Mapei Stadium have ended level, and Torino have only lost once.

This time, the Granata will head to Reggio Emilia with a spring in their step, having snapped a six-match winless streak last time out.

After waiting more than two months for an elusive taste of success, Toro edged past in-form Cremonese, as Nikola Vlasic found the net with a close-range finish.

That hard-fought home win inched them up to 13th place, further away from danger but four points behind Sunday's hosts.

Under Marco Baroni, Torino are proving very unpredictable, shipping 26 goals in Serie A yet keeping six clean sheets.

Now, in their final away fixture of 2025, the Turin club will try to defy a dismal record on the road: they have earned just six points from 21 available this term, while failing to win since September.

Sassuolo Serie A form:

L W D L W D

Torino Serie A form:

D D L L L W

Team News

Still without several injured players - including star man Domenico Berardi - Sassuolo will also be missing a key midfielder on Sunday.

After picking up another booking in Milan, Kristian Thorstvedt must serve a suspension, so Aster Vranckx could get a rare opportunity to start alongside Kone and Nemanja Matic.

Elsewhere, Lauriente will hope his impressive cameo at San Siro is enough to supplant Alieu Fadera in Andrea Pinamonti's supporting cast.

The latter has recorded four goals and two assists in Serie A this season, and he scored in both of Sassuolo's last two home games against Torino.

Meanwhile, Toro's Duvan Zapata has previously found the net 10 times against the Neroverdi, including when these clubs last met at the Mapei Stadium in February 2024.

However, the veteran striker faces competition from fit-again Giovanni Simeone to partner Che Adams up front.

Ardian Ismajli also returned to the squad last week, but his fellow defenders Saul Coco and Adam Masina have now headed off to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Sassuolo possible starting lineup:

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

Torino possible starting lineup:

Israel; Tameze, Maripan, Ismajli; Pedersen, Casadei, Asllani, Vlasic, Lazaro; Adams, Zapata