Serie A Preview: Sassuolo vs Juventus – Team News, Lineups & Prediction | OneFootball

Juventus head to the Mapei Stadium to face Sassuolo on Sunday, seeking a route back to winning ways after last weekend’s draw against Milan. This encounter will also be their final dress rehearsal ahead of next week’s Europa League opener against NEC Nijmegen.

Federico Gatti scored a late equalizer to rescue a point for Juventus in a gut-wrenching 1-1 draw against the Rossoneri last Sunday. The result didn’t seem fair, considering Luciano Spalletti’s side utterly outclassed their arch-rivals in Turin, but a lack of finishing nearly saw them lose for the first time this season.

Nevertheless, after their 100% record in the 2026/27 Serie A campaign came to a dramatic halt, Juventus will be out to kick off a new winning streak against a well-performing Sassuolo side. Despite a 2-1 defeat at Atalanta on Alberto Aquilani’s touchline debut, the Neroverdi have fared reasonably well at the start of the season.

In addition to overcoming Cesena and Frosinone in the Coppa Italia, Sassuolo secured a 2-1 home win over Torino on matchday two before conceding a 90th-minute equalizer in a frustrating 2-2 draw at Bologna last weekend. However, Juventus’ upcoming visit will undoubtedly be Aquilani’s sternest test yet.

Match Preview

Sassuolo

After dropping two points at Renato Dall’Ara last time out, Sassuolo may relish the impending return home, not least because they’ve won all three competitive fixtures at the Mapei Stadium this term. Moreover, the hosts have emerged victorious from six of their last eight Serie A matches in Emilia-Romagna (L2), including high-profile wins over Milan and Como.

Further confidence comes from Sassuolo’s recent uptick in form against Juventus, with the Neroverdi claiming two triumphs across the last three league meetings they’ve hosted (L1). Against this backdrop, they’ve suffered more Serie A defeats to the Turin heavyweights (16) than against any other opposition, highlighting the magnitude of the task awaiting Aquilani tonight.

Still, the timing of this fixture paints a more ominous picture for the home side. Sassuolo have won just one of their last eight Sunday-held Serie A games (D2, L5), which could derail their optimism ahead of this revenge-poised clash. Indeed, the hosts must be keen to settle scores here after a dreadful 3-0 defeat in this corresponding fixture last term.

Juventus

While waiting for deadline-day signing Nick Woltemade to find his footing in Serie A, Spalletti must find a way to address Juventus’ notorious profligacy in the early stages of the season. The record-time Italian champions have performed well below their overall xG, netting just four goals in the opening three rounds.

Despite their wastefulness in front of goal, Juventus have amassed seven points so far (W2, D1). They had beaten Frosinone and Parma without conceding before drawing with Milan last weekend. Defensively sound, Spalletti’s men have registered a commendable five clean sheets across their last six Serie A away games (W4, D2).

However, with each of Juventus’ four victories in that sequence yielding a narrow 1-0 scoreline, the emphasis will once again be on defensive solidity rather than attacking flair. Breaking the deadlock could be of utmost importance, especially considering that just four of Juventus’ last 14 Serie A matches have seen both teams on the scoresheet.

Team News

Sassuolo head into this fixture severely weakened by injuries. Sebastian Walukiewicz, Daniel Boloca, and Cristian Volpato have joined long-term absentees Fali Cande, Edoardo Pieragnolo, and Ismael Kone on the treatment table. On the bright side, standout winger Domenico Berardi has regained full fitness and should start in the final third alongside Armand Lauriente and Sebastiano Esposito.

Speaking of lengthy injury lists, Juventus are still without several indispensable first-team stars, including Khephren Thuram and Kenan Yildiz. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Jeremie Boga, Juan Cabal, Jeff Ekhator, Andrea Cambiaso, Pape Matar Sarr, and Weston McKennie are all unavailable for this trip, leaving Spalletti with a few difficult choices to make.

Sassuolo vs Juventus Potential Starting Lineups

Sassuolo (4-3-3): Muric; Cinquegrano, Idzes, Leysen, Doig; Adzic, Matic, Thorstvedt; Berardi, Esposito, Lauriente.

Juventus (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Kalulu, Bremer, Lucumi, Celik; Luiz, Koopmeiners; Conceicao, Gonzalez, Alajbegovic; Woltemade.

Sassuolo vs Juventus Prediction

Even without several first-team stalwarts, Sassuolo could give Juventus a run for their money here, but the visitors should ultimately prevail at the Mapei and take home three valuable points. Don’t be surprised if they make it by the skin of their teeth.