SASSUOLO

League position: 7th
Head coach: Alessio Dionisi
Top-scorer: Filip Djuricic, Giacomo Raspadori, Hamed Junior Traore (1)

RECENT FORM

Roma: W W W W W
Sassuolo: W D W D L

This will be a landmark match in the storied career of Mourinho, as the 58-year-old prepares for his 1,000th game in club management.

Life under Mourinho has begun excellently for the Gialllorossi, who have won all four of their competitive fixtures under the Portuguese great - and five wins from five would represent Mourinho’s best start to a job in his career.

Dionisi is also a new face in the Sassuolo dugout, having replaced Roberto De Zerbi in the summer and, if his team avoid defeat at the Olimpico, he could join his predecessor as the second coach in the club’s history to go their first three Serie A games unbeaten.

The visitors’ boss will be delighted to have Italy forward Domenico Berardi back in contention, and Sassuolo have no new injury concerns or suspensions to worry about.

Possible Sassuolo line-up

(4-2-3-1)

Consigli; Toljan, Chiriches, Ferrari, Rogerio; Lopez, Frattesi; Berardi, Djuricic, Boga; Raspadori

LAST MEETING

DANGER MAN
Domenico Berardi

Berardi is Sassuolo’s go-to-guy and is readying to make his first appearance of the campaign after a series of niggles disrupted the 27-year-old’s pre-season that came on the back of his role in Italy’s Euro 2020 success.

The one-club man is Sassuolo’s record scorer and he has previously scored three league goals against Roma, each of which came in the capital.

Berardi has been involved in 11 goals (eight goals, three assists) in his last nine Serie A appearances and his return brings added threat alongside Djuricic and Jeremie Boga.

It will then be up to Dionisi to decide between former Roma youth team player Gianluca Scamacca and Giacomo Raspadori as the focal point.

MATCH STATS

Of all the teams Roma have faced 10 or more times in Serie A, the Giallorossi have lost fewer matches against Sassuolo than any other side, with just one defeat in 16 previous meetings (W8, D7, L1).

There have been five draws from eight meetings at the Olimpico between these two sides, which represents Roma’s highest percentage of home draws against any opposition they have played at least four times in the top flight.

Across all competitions, Roma are looking for their sixth home win in a row and if they do so it would be their best run since chalking up seven consecutive wins in 2017.

Meanwhile, Sassuolo have won each of their last five away Serie A matches, which is a club record.

PLAYER STATS

• Across Jose Mourinho’s 999 competitive matches as a coach, his record reads: W637, D205, L157.
  
• Henrikh Mkhitaryan – whose first Serie A goal came against Sassuolo in September 2019 – has been involved in at least one goal in each of his last six league matches (five goals, three assists).
  
• Since Serie A returned to 20 teams in 2004-05), only two Roma players have bettered Mkhitaryan’s current run: Francesco Totti in 2006 (nine games) and in 2013 (seven), and Miralem Pjanic in 2015 (eight).
  
• Jordan Veretout could become the first Roma midfielder to score in each of his first three Serie A games since the league introduced three points for a win in 1994-95.

WHAT THEY SAID

"For Sassuolo to begin the new season, and a new project really, with four points out of six is definitely a big boost. Those results will only have a positive impact on morale and give the new coach more credibility and confidence."

- Antonio Parrotto, journalist for sassuolonews.net