Football Results

The 22nd round of Italian Serie A starts with duel between two mid-table teams where 14th-placed Sassuolo currently has eight points fewer than eight-positioned Atalanta. Besides, the team from Bergamo won by 2-1 their recently played head-to-head in the Coppa Italia, as well as league match played around beginning of season.

Sassuolo

Of course, two consecutive defeats should be just an additional motive for Sassuolo players to revenge to Atalanta at home, especially as they haven’t defeated them since April 2014. Sassuolo fans could find encouragement in fact that their team won three and drew one out of last four home matches. Sassuolo drew with Torino 1-1 last weekend.

Before that this team managed to win at home Inter 1-0, and to draw difficult away match with Roma 1-1. It turns out that Sassuolo’s only mishap was away defeat by Genoa 1-0. Sassuolo still has solid six-point advantage over teams in the drop zone, meaning the situation is under control. Let’s add that out of action for match with Atalanta is only injured stopper Letschert, while newly arrived stopper Lemos should be reserve.

Probable lineups UC Sassuolo: Consigli – Lirola, Goldaniga, Acerbi, Peluso – Missiroli, Magnanelli, Duncan – Berardi, Falcineli, Politano

Atalanta

The guests from Bergamo oscillates a lot recently and for example they won difficult away league matches with Milan and Roma, as well as match with Napoli in Naples in the Italian Cup, while at home they lost two times in row in the Serie A, firstly to Cagliari and last weekend to Napoli. All this indicate they play under less pressure when they are not at their stadium, while in front of their fans they succumb to pressure coming from the stands.

However, coach Gasperini players are still in the race for positions that lead to Europe, given they have just four points fewer than sixth-placed Sampdoria at the moment, meaning they will probably play offensively against their old rival Sassuolo and with an objective to win all three points. On top of it, they have no problems with absences. We should add that during winter transfer window the team left defender Drame and midfielder Kurtic, and at the same time they loaned midfielder Rizzo from Bologna.

Probable lineups Atalanta Bergamo: Berisha – Toloi, Caldara, Masiello – Hateboer, Freuler, Cristante, Spinazzola – Ilicic – Cornelius, Gomez

Verdict:

Although the guests from Bergamo have even eight points more and are on top of it undefeated in last eight matches with Sassuolo, we have nevertheless decided to give a slight advantage to the home team, given it has four-game unbeaten streak at home of three wins and one draw.

Pick:  Asian handicap +0.25 Sassuolo 1.84 - 84/100 @1XBet