Sassuolo vs Como on 17 April
The Mapei Stadium is no longer a fortress. It has become a laboratory of desperation. On 17 April, two wounded sides from Serie A’s mid-table meet in a match that screams necessity. Sassuolo, once the standard-bearers of provincial flair, host an ambitious and reborn Como. This is less about tactical purity and more about survival of identity. With no European distractions and the threat of relegation lurking below, this is a six-pointer wrapped in silk. The forecast in Reggio Emilia promises a crisp, clear evening—perfect for high-intensity football, with no wind or rain to disrupt the vertical passing both teams crave.
Sassuolo: Tactical Approach and Current Form
Alessio Dionisi’s men have lost their compass. Over the last five matches, the Neroverdi have collected only four points. Their sole win came against a dishevelled Salernitana. The stats are damning. Sassuolo’s average expected goals (xG) per game has dropped to 1.1—a catastrophic fall for a team built on offensive volume. Their possession sits around 52%, but the killer instinct in the final third has evaporated. The build-up play, once a smooth chain of short passes, has become predictable. Opponents press their centre-backs high, forcing rushed clearances. Defensively, they concede 1.6 goals per game, with a particular vulnerability to cutbacks from the left flank.
The engine room is sputtering. Without the injured Domenico Berardi—the spiritual and tactical heart of the team—Sassuolo lack incision. Berardi’s signature move, cutting inside from the right wing to shoot with his left foot, is gone. In his absence, Armand Laurienté has tried to shoulder the creative burden, but the Frenchman is a different beast: more direct, less intelligent in his passing choices. Andrea Pinamonti is isolated up front. His hold-up play suffers because the supporting midfielders arrive late. The only positive note is the return of Matías Viña at left-back. His overlapping runs could trouble Como’s narrow defensive shape. There are no suspensions to speak of, but the psychological weight of Berardi’s absence hangs over the entire setup like a storm cloud.
Como: Tactical Approach and Current Form
Cesc Fàbregas has transformed Como from a sentimental project into a tactically coherent machine. In their last five outings, the Lariani have taken ten points. This includes a stunning away draw at Bologna and a demolition of relegation-threatened Empoli. Their system is a fluid 4-2-3-1 that shifts into a 3-2-5 in possession. Full-backs push into the half-spaces. Como average 48% possession, but their efficiency is brutal. Their shot conversion rate is 14%, one of the best in the league. They do not need the ball to hurt you. Como lead Serie A in direct attacks—counter-attacks starting from their own half—per 90 minutes.
The key to Como’s resurgence is the midfield axis of Sergi Roberto and Lucas Da Cunha. Roberto provides positional discipline and vertical passing. Da Cunha acts as the shuttler who breaks lines with dribbling. Up front, Patrick Cutrone—returning to face his former youth club—has rediscovered his predatory instincts, with four goals in his last six games. The real danger, however, is Andrea Belotti. Used as a second striker or right winger, he drags defenders out of position. Como’s only injury concern is Alberto Moreno at left-back. That means teenager Marco Sala will start—a potential weak spot Sassuolo will target. No suspensions. Fàbregas’s men are confident, organised, and ruthless on transitions.
Head-to-Head: History and Psychology
The recent history is brief but telling. Earlier this season at the Stadio Sinigaglia, these two sides played out a chaotic 2-2 draw that felt like a loss for both. Como led twice through Cutrone and Belotti, only for Sassuolo to claw back via a late Pinamonti penalty and a deflected strike from Thorstvedt. The underlying numbers reveal a pattern. Como had 14 shots (6 on target) to Sassuolo’s 9 (4 on target). The Neroverdi’s xG was inflated by the penalty. In the three meetings before that—all in Serie B during 2021-22—Sassuolo won twice and Como once. Those games are tactically obsolete given the squad overhauls. Psychologically, Como no longer fear the Mapei. They have evolved. Sassuolo, meanwhile, are haunted by a sense of "what if". The ghost of Berardi’s absence looms larger than any historical result.
Key Battles and Critical Zones
The first decisive duel is on Sassuolo’s right flank. Jeremy Toljan, the right-back, faces Marco Sala (Como’s left-back) and Cutrone’s movement. Toljan loves to underlap into midfield. But if he loses possession, Sala’s inexperience could be exposed. Cutrone’s drifting into that channel will force Toljan to defend one-on-one—a mismatch in Como’s favour. The second, more crucial battle is in central midfield: Boloca and Thorstvedt against Roberto and Da Cunha. If Como’s pair bypass the first press with a single pass, they will have a four-on-three overload against Sassuolo’s slow centre-backs, Ruan Tressoldi and Erlic.
The critical zone is the half-space on Sassuolo’s left. Como’s right-winger, Strefezza, is a master of cutting inside onto his stronger left foot. Viña, Sassuolo’s left-back, is aggressive but prone to diving in. One feint and Strefezza will have a clean shot or a cutback to Belotti at the penalty spot. Conversely, Sassuolo’s only hope lies in early crosses from deep. They need to target Pinamonti against Como’s tall but slow centre-back pairing of Dossena and Barba. If the home side resort to tiki-taka in their own half, they will be swallowed alive.
Match Scenario and Prediction
The first 20 minutes will be frantic. Sassuolo, urged on by a nervous home crowd, will try to assert possession. But Como will not sit back. Expect a chess match that breaks into open play after 30 minutes. Como’s transition speed will punish Sassuolo’s high defensive line at least once. The most likely scenario is a 1-1 halftime score, followed by a second half where Como’s superior fitness and tactical clarity prevail. Sassuolo will tire. Their press will become disjointed. A late goal from a set-piece or a counter-attack will decide it.
Prediction: Sassuolo 1-2 Como. Betting angles: over 2.5 goals (both teams are shaky at the back), both teams to score – yes (a lock given the defensive frailties), and Como +0.5 on the Asian handicap looks like value. Total corners could exceed 10.5, as both sides use wide overloads.
Final Thoughts
This match will answer one sharp, uncomfortable question for the home side. Can Sassuolo exist as a Serie A entity without Berardi’s genius? Or is their entire tactical identity merely a satellite orbiting his left foot? For Como, the question is about legitimacy. Are they ready to shed the "project" label and become a genuine mid-table predator? By 10 PM on 17 April, one of these answers will echo through the empty stands of the Mapei. The other will be left staring into the abyss of the relegation zone.
