Serie A's Sunday lunchtime kickoff pits together two teams fighting for survival, as Hellas Verona host free-falling Sassuolo at Stadio Bentegodi.
Hellas have won just once this year, and they are joined on 20 points by the visitors, who were thumped 6-1 in their first game since sacking Alessio Dionisi.
Match preview
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Beaten 2-0 by Bologna last time out, Verona have picked up only six points from nine league games since Christmas, with their sole success during that time coming against fellow strugglers Empoli.
Losing to a Salernitana side that look doomed to relegation was a particular lowlight for Marco Baroni's men, who recently followed up an unexpected 2-2 draw with Juventus by coming away empty-handed from Stadio Dall'Ara.
Averaging less than one goal per game, the Gialloblu are among Serie A's lowest scorers this season, and the mid-term departures of Cyril Ngonge and Milan Djuric have certainly not helped their cause.
Several new signings are yet to make a major impact since arriving in January, but Baroni will hope they can contribute to a couple of high-stakes six-pointers in the coming days.
Before visiting Lecce at Via del Mare, Verona will reconvene with Sassuolo, who they finally beat at the Bentegodi last season, having previously suffered four straight home losses to their Emilian counterparts.
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Though their 3-1 win in September's reverse fixture seems a long time ago now, Sassuolo will be aiming to do the double over Verona for only the second time in Serie A.
One of the main protagonists on that occasion, Domenico Berardi, bagged a brace at the Mapei Stadium but has been much missed in 2024, having just returned to action following a long layoff.
After being sidelined by injury during the latter stages of Alessio Dionisi's reign, this weekend he will be under the watch of new boss Davide Ballardini, who takes charge with the Neroverdi hovering dangerously close to the drop zone.
In his only game as caretaker coach, youth-team manager Emiliano Bigica's dugout debut started well, when Uros Racic gave Sassuolo the lead against Napoli in midweek, but the struggling Scudetto-holders then swept to a crushing 6-1 victory, helped by Victor Osimhen's hat-trick.
Now with only one win from their last 14 games in all competitions, losing 11, the Emilian club have also conceded the joint-most goals (21) across the past seven Serie A matchdays.
Following a streak of five away defeats, in which they have scored just twice, perhaps Berardi's comeback could be the catalyst required to turn things around, ahead of two crucial fixtures against survival rivals - first Verona, then Frosinone.
Team News
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Once again, Verona's only expected absentee is Argentinian striker Juan Manuel Cruz, who remains in recovery from a muscular problem that could keep him out for two more weeks.
All-action midfielder Michael Folorunsho will start for the hosts, having been directly involved in three of their last five league goals, with two goals and one assist.
Since the start of November, Tomas Suslov has attempted more shots (29) and completed more dribbles (27) than any other midfield player in Serie A, so the Slovakia international provides another attacking outlet for Hellas boss Marco Baroni.
Of course, Sassuolo's hopes largely rest on Domenico Berardi's shoulders: the Italy winger was back on the bench on Wednesday and may be fit enough to start on the right wing this weekend.
With Berardi, the Neroverdi have earned 1.2 points and scored 1.5 goals per game this season; without him, they have failed to win any of 10 league matches, averaging 0.1 points per game.
Martin Erlic and Daniel Boloca should also be back in action for the visitors, for whom ex-Verona man Josh Doig is set to feature at left-back, meaning only Mattia Viti will miss out through injury.
Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:
Montipo; Tchatchoua, Coppola, Dawidowicz, Cabal; Duda, Serdar; Noslin, Folorunsho, Suslov; Henry
Sassuolo possible starting lineup:
Consigli; Pedersen, Erlic, Ferrari, Doig; Henrique, Boloca; Berardi, Thorstvedt, Lauriente; Pinamonti
We say: Hellas Verona 2-1 Sassuolo
Only two of 17 previous Serie A meetings between these clubs have ended in a draw: as Verona are much harder to beat at the Bentegodi than away from home, they can prolong that trend and pull three points clear of ailing Sassuolo.
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Jonathan O'Shea
