Sassuolo vs Fiorentina prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2024-01-05 19:45.
From the heights of defeating both Juventus (4-2) and Inter Milan (2-1) in the final week of September, Sassuolo continued a steady plummet towards the Serie A (SA) relegation zone by ending the 2023 calendar year with a 1-0 loss at top-four contenders AC Milan. The pressure on head coach Alessio Dionisi is intensifying after the Neroverdi managed to defeat only fellow strugglers Empoli across their last 12 SA matches (D4, L7).
Dionisi was frustrated that they couldn’t leave Milan with a point on the basis that they allowed just two shots on target whilst recording six themselves, as he lamented a lack of precision in attack. Even another 1-0 loss to upcoming opponents Fiorentina could be considered an improvement of sorts, given four of their last five SA home games (D2, L3) saw them concede exactly twice on the day.
On the other hand, Fiorentina finished 2023 as a top-four club after a trilogy of 1-0 wins, all against clubs to start this round tenth or lower, boosting their win percentage as pre-match favourites this SA season to a tremendous 75% (W9, D2, L1). Not since going on to finish fifth in 2015/16 had Fiorentina picked up so many points in their first 18 rounds, raising hopes of a return to either of UEFA’s top two leagues for the first time since 2016/17.
Fiorentina also boast an excellent record across the SA season against sides finishing 2023 in the bottom-half of the standings (W6, D2, L1). But on the basis of their last ten league fixtures against all opponents, of which only two produced over 2.5 total goals, the highlights reel for this one could be comparatively brief.
Players to watch: With his 28th-minute strike in the loss to Genoa, Andrea Pinamonti became the first player to score in three Sassuolo home games this SA season. Veteran Fiorentina midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura has a 100% winning record from the six SA games in which he scored this term.
Hot streak: Both teams scored in each of the last eight H2Hs, with all but one witnessing 3+ total goals.