Serie A 2019-20: Juventus vs Sassuolo Preview, Predicted XI, Team News, and more
Preview
Having sealed top-place in their group in their midweek Matchday 5 Champions League clash at home against Atletico Madrid, league leaders Juventus welcome 13th-placed Sassuolo to their Turin home ground this weekend.
The Bianconeri are the only unbeaten team in Serie A this season, leading Inter Milan by a point. Juventus have won all six of their home games in the league this season and would be keen to continue their unbeaten start to the season against a team whom they have beaten 10 times in 12 previous Serie A meetings.
Among 17 different Serie A clubs against whom Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in the Italian top-flight, the Portugal captain's 3 goals in 2 games against Sassuolo is his highest goal-tally against any club. The 34-year-old, with 5 goals, is Juventus' top-goal scorer in the league this season but is well behind league pace-setter Ciro Immobile (15 goals).
Sassuolo, who are unbeaten in their last two Serie A games on the road, are set for a long day at the office at Juventus, where they lost on each of their six previous visits.
Head-to-Head
Juventus have met Sassuolo 12 times in Serie A, with the Bianconeri winning 10 of those games while drawing 1 and losing 1. Juventus have won all 7 games against the visitors since a 0-1 away reverse in 2015-16.
Form Guide
Last 5 games (both teams)
Juventus: W-W-W-W-D.
Sassuolo: L-W-D-L-W.
Last 5 home games (Juventus)
Juventus: W-W-W-W-W.
Last 5 away games (Sassuolo)
Sassuolo: D-W-L-L-L.
Team News
Juventus
Douglas Costa (thigh), Adrien Rabiot (groin), Alex Sandro (groin), Giorgio Chiellini (anterior cruciate ligament), and Matia Perin (shoulder) are out with injuries.
Sassuolo
Gregoire Defrel (ankle), Domenico Berardi (thigh), Gianmarco Ferrari (thigh), Vlad Chiriches (thigh), and Rogerio (meniscus) are injured.
Predicted XI
Juventus (4-3-1-2): Wojciech Szczęsny - Juan Cuadrado, Leonardo Bonucci, Matthijs De Ligt, Alex Sandro - Rodrigo Bentancur, Miralem Pjanic, Blaise Matuidi - Gonzalo Higuain, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sassuolo (4-3-3): Andrea Consigli - Jeremy Toljan, Filippo Romagna, Marlon Santos, Giorgos Kyriakopoulos - Manuel Locatelli, Pedro Obiang, Hamed Traore - Filip Duricic, Francesco Caputo, Jeremie Boga. .
Prediction
It is a fixture heavily dominated by Juventus, who have won 10 of their 12 Serie A meetings with Sassuolo, which includes 6/6 home meetings where the Bianconeri scored a cumulative 18 goals.
Considering their unbeaten start to the season, it is safe enough to presume that the Bianconeri would run out comfortable victors against a team they have enjoyed scoring against, particularly at home.
Prediction - Juventus 3-0 Sassuolo.
Also read: 5 reasons why serial-winners Juventus' title dominance is set to continue this season