Football Season Guide

Even though they eventually finished just below the top 10 of Serie A, last season Sassuolo found themselves unexpectedly close to the European spots during the winter and flirting with relegation during the spring. Coach De Zerbi, whose previous top flight experiences had been disastrous, was praised for the job done with the players he had, and was confirmed for the new season. During the summer, Sassuolo had to part ways with at least 3 main protagonists from the past campaign. In fact, Demiral was paid plenty of money by Juventus, while Lirola and Sensi left on loan for Fiorentina and Inter respectively. The defence was the department mostly affected by the transfer campaign as also back-up players Magnani, Dell’Orco and Lemos were let go. While Toljan, on loan from Celtic, should become the new right-back, De Zerbi should field the other 3 regulars from the past season. He will have to hope that they do not run into injuries or suspensions, though, as he might not have valid alternatives. With Sensi gone, Traore, who had a fantastic season at Empoli, and Obiang, who is back to Italy after 4 campaigns at West Ham, are likely to get the start in the middle of the park. And the midfield, also considering the back-up players, should be their best department, without doubt. While their goals tally was relatively healthy last season, Sassuolo's attack was a bit of an issue as they lacked a prolific striker. They addressed the problem during the summer and brought in Caputo from Empoli, who at 31 was almost a debutant in the top flight, but left a mark with his 16 goals.