Sunday's match between AS Roma and Sassuolo has all the ingredients to be a great game. Both teams are at different ends of the Serie A spectrum but it should be an interesting encounter nevertheless. Here’s a closer look at both teams heading into the clash.
Roma showing good signs early on
Roma are coming off a busy week which included playing La Liga powerhouse Barcelona in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League, while Sassuolo were at home preparing.
The capital club have had very little rest since their last Serie A match against Frosinone and, because of that, there’s a chance that they may rotate the squad for Sunday's match.
“Rotation is possible, yes. With the squad we have available here, the level of the team should never drop. No matter who plays we should have enough to win games,” Roma manager Rudi Garcia told the media this week.
Garcia's side have looked good in the first few weeks of their Serie A campaign. The team have looked very strong and already beat last year's champions, Juventus.
The Giallorossi’s only downfall in their opening three games was drawing against Hellas Verona. Had they won in that game, they would be top of the table along with Inter Milan. It is early in the season but for Roma they have to win games like those in order to win the Scudetto.
The hosts need to be solid defensively, move the ball effectively and be able to find the back of the net. They cannot depend upon Alessandro Florenzi to score another wonder-goal like he did for them this week.
Sassuolo looking strong
Sassuolo have also enjoyed a good start themselves and are even with Roma in the standings. “Sassuolo have seven points and they’re a very good team with some excellent players,” Garcia told the media.
The team are fielding a mixture of young and experienced players and has been serving them well. For Sassuolo, this season is about improving on last year's 12th place finish in Serie A, but this season they are aiming to finish in the top 10.
They will look to contain Roma’s attack and ball movement. For the most part, Sassuolo have a knack of staying in games and they will look to hold on for as long as they can and hopefully find the net. The visitors can only hope that this match-up doesn’t end like the last one did, as Roma won 3-0.
Team news
On the injury front, it is a mixed time for Roma. On the plus side, midfielder Miralem Pjanic returns to the team for this weekend's game. On the other hand, Roma will be without starting goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny for four to six weeks due to a finger injury.
Sassuolo seem set to be without talisman Domenico Berardi for this match. The striker hasn’t played since the opening game of the season when he injured his right thigh against Napoli.