After taking three points from their first two games of the Serie A season, Spezia and Sassuolo meet on Saturday evening, at Stadio Alberto Picco.
Both beaten by one of Calcio's giants but winners against potential strugglers, the sides convene in Liguria, seeking maximum points before they face tougher tests next week.
Match preview
© Reuters
Having kicked off their third top-flight campaign with a win over Empoli earlier this month, Spezia were unsurprisingly brought back down to earth in their first away fixture last week, against Inter at San Siro.
Though they held out for 35 minutes, until Lautaro Martinez struck the Nerazzurri's opener, Luca Gotti's men came away from Milan empty-handed, following a 3-0 loss which could well have been by a greater margin.
Nonetheless, Spezia can still target their best tally after three Serie A matches by picking up at least a point back on home soil, having managed three from three in 2020-21 and just one last term.
Gotti arrived to replace Thiago Motta in the dugout earlier this summer, and is now the third man tasked with extending the Ligurians' new-found status in Italy's top tier, but has already bemoaned - as he sees it - the widening gap between Calcio's elite and the rest.
While much longer established in Serie A than their hosts, Sassuolo also rank among the league's lesser lights, but Spezia took only one point from the teams' two meetings last season.
In all, the pair have met six times in the top two divisions, with only one win for the Aquilotti during that time. They will have to overcome such precedent if they are to maximise home advantage before travelling to Turin next Wednesday.
© Reuters
While Spezia tackle Juventus next time out, Sassuolo meet Milan, so the Neroverdi will certainly be aiming to secure three points from Saturday's more modest opponents.
Crucial to their hopes in both games will be long-serving talisman Domenico Berardi, who once more excelled himself with a brilliant winning goal against Lecce last week - just days after agreeing a new deal at the club.
That provided a much-needed boost for Alessio Dionisi's side, as after losing Gianluca Scamacca to West Ham United, his fellow Italy international Giacomo Raspadori recently departed for Napoli; leaving loan signing Andrea Pinamonti to fill the void up front.
Results had not helped either, as a 3-0 defeat to Juventus on the opening day followed Sassuolo's early exit from the Coppa Italia, when they lost 3-2 at Serie B side Modena earlier this month.
After a series of top-half finishes, the Emilians slipped to 11th in Dionisi's first season at the club, and their worrying away form was among the main reasons: Sassuolo have lost four of their last five away fixtures in Serie A - as many as in their previous 19 on the road.
- W
- L
- W
- W
- D
- W
- W
- L
- L
- W
- W
- D
- W
- L
- L
- W
Team News
© Reuters
Spezia had been hopeful that Daniele Verde could be available on Saturday, but the club's joint-top goalscorer since joining the Italian top flight - with 14 goals; two against Sassuolo - misses out again.
The hosts' new captain Emmanuel Gyasi has also scored twice against the Neroverdi in Serie A and should start on the right flank of a 3-5-2.
While full-backs Salva Ferrer and Kelvin Amian both continue their respective roads to recovery, French forward Janis Antiste is nearing full fitness and may even play a part against one of his suitors in the transfer market.
Sassuolo CEO Giovanni Carnevali previously confirmed the visitors' interest in Antiste, following the recent departures of Giacomo Raspadori and Gianluca Scamacca, but they will rely on Andrea Pinamonti and Domenico Berardi to carry a three-man frontline in La Spezia.
Berardi, who signed a fresh five-year contract last week, has been directly involved in the most Serie A goals throughout 2022: 16 in 18 matches (eight goals; eight assists). He has also had a hand in four from four matches against Spezia in the past, but will be without Hamed Traore's support up front due to the Ivorian's foot injury.
Spezia possible starting lineup:
Dragowski; Caldara, Kiwior, Nikolaou; Gyasi, Sala, Bourabia, Bastoni, Reca; Agudelo, Nzola
Sassuolo possible starting lineup:
Consigli; Toljan, Erlic, Ferrari, Rogerio; Lopez, Frattesi, Henrique; Berardi, Pinamonti, Kyriakopoulos
We say: Spezia 1-1 Sassuolo
After a win and a loss from their opening two games, Spezia are set to draw a Serie A home game for the first time since December.
Since then, four wins and seven defeats at the picturesque Picco have underlined their inconsistency, but Luca Gotti should make them a more resilient unit; Sassuolo still lack their former firepower up front.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
