Sassuolo vs Pisa Prediction: Hosts to thwart Pisa’s recent progress

Sassuolo welcome fellow newly-promoted side Pisa to the Città del Tricolore on Monday evening (19:45 GMT), after both teams registered crucial victories in their most recent league outings. 

Ahead of this season's third international break, Sassuolo delivered an eye-catching 3-0 triumph over Champions League participants Atalanta. Meanwhile, struggling Pisa earned an elusive first win of the campaign thanks to Idrissa Touré's late strike against Cremonese, the third and final member of last season's Serie B contingent now plying their trade in the Italian top-flight. 

The Towers find themselves just one point above the relegation zone following the first 11 rounds of action, while opponents Sassuolo assume ninth place – ahead of the likes of Udinese, Torino, and Atalanta – in the Serie A table.

Team News

Both managers have several injury headaches to contend with, as two former Serie A legends clash in the dugouts on Monday evening.

Fabio Grosso is without defensive duo Filippo Romagna and Edoardo Pieragnolo, while attackers Laurs Skjellerup and Cristian Volpato also miss out. Former Romanian international Daniel Boloca hasn't featured since Sassuolo's 3-0 Coppa Italia defeat to Como back in late September, but is close to returning to the fold following a severe knee sprain.

Meanwhile, Scottish full-back Josh Doig is hoping to be recalled to Grosso's starting XI after being named among the substitutes ahead of recent clashes against Cagliari and Atalanta.

Stefano Moreo and M'Bala Nzola are Pisa's only representatives to have scored on more than one occasion this season, so expect this pairing to lead the line again.

The absence of Calvin Stengs, Tomás Esteves, Mateus Lusuardi, and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro makes life far more difficult for former AC Milan striker Alberto Gilardino, who took over the reins at Pisa in the summer following the exit of fellow ex-Rossoneri marksman Filippo Inzaghi.

Sassuolo vs Pisa Odds

Sassuolo are 11/10 to win Monday's fixture, with the draw 11/5 and a second Serie A victory for Pisa priced at 11/4.

Sassuolo to win and Under 2.5 Goals @ 3/1

Sassuolo have only won two of their opening five Serie A home fixtures, edging past Lazio immediately after the season's first international break before registering a hard-fought triumph over Udinese later the same month.

There have only been more than three goals in two of the Neroverdi's opening 11 league contests, but this hasn't stopped them from racking up an impressive 16-point haul. However, the hosts will undoubtedly have their work cut out on Monday evening.
Before November's landmark win over Cremonese, Pisa had demonstrated definite signs of improvement amid a sequence of four consecutive draws.

Although only rock-bottom Verona have scored fewer goals, the Tuscan outfit boasts a superior defensive record to several teams above them, and opposing outfits rarely build big leads against them.

Domenico Berardi to score anytime @ 9/5

Having registered four goals and three assists in his nine Serie A appearances this term, Domenico Berardi is once again proving himself to be a potent threat in the final third.

The versatile forward staged an attacking masterclass against Atalanta, having a very influential hand in all three goals in Bergamo.

Berardi also set up Sassuolo's only goal in their narrow Coppa Italia defeat of Catanzaro back in August, putting it on a plate for Josh Doig to convert.

Offers

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