15 September 2017
SO FAR, SO GOOD
Although it’s only three games into the Serie A season, Juventus have started with a 100% record, winning all of their matches, and scoring 10 goals in the process.
Last weekend, Juventus were 3-0 winners over Chievo Verona and got off the mark in the 17th minute, thanks to an own-goal from Chievo’s captain, Perparim Hetemaj. The midfielder was attempting to prevent Stefano Sturaro from getting on the end of a Miralem Pjanic free-kick and ended up turning the ball into his own net.
The Bianconeri doubled their lead in the second half after a sublime dribble from Paulo Dybala found Pjanic outside the box, and he played a first-time pass into the path of Gonzalo Higuain who made no mistake with the finish.
The game was then put to bed by Dybala in the 83rd minute after he made the most of some fine work by Federico Bernardeschi to register his fifth league goal already of 2017/18.
SASSUOLO STILL SEARCHING FOR FIRST WIN
It’s been a tough start for Sassuolo manager Cristian Bucchi since taking over in the summer from Eusebio Di Francesco. The Neroverdi have yet to pick up a win in Serie A: having drawn their opening game 0-0 against Genoa, they slumped to a 3-0 defeat away to Torino, and last weekend were defeated 2-1 by Atalanta. Sassuolo’s only win of the season so far came in the third round of the Coppa Italia, beating Serie B side Spezia 2-0.
There wasn’t much in the way of summer recruitment by the Reggio Emilia-based club, but fans may recognise the name, Edoardo Goldaniga: the former Palermo defender was on the Bianconeri’s books during the 2014/15 season (albeit he spent the entire campaign on loan to Perugia). In terms of departures, Italy international Lorenzo Pellegrini made a return to Roma, and last season’s top scorer, Gregoire Defrel also made the move to the capital along with former Neroverdi manager Di Francesco.
Other former Bianconeri currently residing at Sassuolo are Alessandro Matri, Federico Peluso, Domenico Berardi and Francesco Cassata, while Rogerio and Pol Lirola are on loan at the club.
Juventus manager, Massimiliano Allegri has fond memories of Sassuolo, as the Tuscan previously led the side to promotion from Serie C in 2008.
LAST TIME VS SASSUOLO
Juve faced Sassuolo a matchday earlier last year, in week three of the season, winning 3-1 at the now Allianz Stadium.
La Vecchia Signora found themselves leading by two goals to nil inside 10 minutes, when Gonzalo Higuain struck twice and Miralem Pjanic then made it three, before Luca Antei grabbed a consolation goal for Sassuolo.
At the Mapei Stadium, Juventus again found it easy going, having gone two goals up before the 30-minute mark, courtesy of Higuain and Sami Khedira to record a 2-0 win.
#SASSUOLOJUVE STATS
- Sassuolo haven’t lost at home in Serie A since April 2017.
- Juventus have scored at least three goals in their last three games in Serie A.
- Before last weekend’s game against Chievo, Juventus hadn’t scored 10 goals in their first three Serie A games since 1981.
- All 10 of Juventus’ goals have come from inside the penalty area.
- Juventus have scored in their last 32 league games, recording 70 goals.
- Juventus are the team to have used the most players (21) so far this season in Serie A.
- Juventus have the best percentage of goals scored per shots (29%).
- Federico Bernardeschi’s last goal in Serie A came against Sassuolo in May 2017.
- Daniele Rugani has made the most passes in this Serie A season (239).
- Only Genoa (58) have committed more fouls than Sassuolo (51) in Serie A thus far.
