Frosino, who have made a positive start to their Serie A campaign, will host Sassuolo on Sunday afternoon. Despite Frosino's loss in their opening game, they have four points from six matches prior to International Day, while their Emilia visitors have lost two games.
After winning Serie B by seven points last year and securing their return to Serie A, Frosino have lost the mastermind of their success - coach Fabio Grosso resigned shortly after promotion, and the former Azzurri Stars player is now set to take over as head coach of league side Lyon.
Eusebio Di Francesco now sits on the bench at the Stadio Benito Stirpe after their pre-season and first-round victories have seen his side perform quite well in the opening weeks of the Serie A campaign.
After an expected loss against Napoli in the opening game, they scored first through summer signing Abdou Haroui before a stunning win against Atalanta and subsequent draw against Udinese means Frosinho could now go unbeaten in three consecutive Serie A games for the first time since 2018.
This weekend, former Sassuolo manager Di Francesco will lead Frosinho against his old side - for whom Haloui used to play - as they look to build on the foundations established prior to the international soccer intervention. In four Serie A meetings with Sunday's visitors, the promoted side have lost two games at home without scoring a goal: rectifying that record will help them continue to move forward in the right way as they could face a long struggle for survival.
Despite being below Frosinho in the early rankings, Sassuolo are unbeaten in their last 10 Serie A and Serie B encounters with Frosinho, including six wins and four draws. Head coach Alessio Dionisi may be hoping that such a precedent will help this week's match, as the Black and Greens have amassed just three points so far after the opening month was marred by Domenico Berardi's chaos.
While their longtime focal point ended up remaining in Reggio Emilia, they failed to score against Napoli and Atalanta during Berardi's absence from Sassuolo's camp - scoring twice in Berardi's return against Hellas Verona in a 3-1 home victory. Sassuolo, who now open their record on Emilian soil, will be looking to improve on their recent away ailments: they have failed to win their last six away games in the league, losing five of them, their worst performance since mid-2019. Another defeat, especially against promotion rivals, will turn the spotlight once again on Dionisi, who has lived in the long shadow of his predecessor Roberto de Zerbi since taking over two years ago.
Having scored in each of his first two games at the Stade Stelpe, Abdou Haroui will be hoping to become the first Frosinho player to score in three consecutive Serie A home games when he takes on his former side on Sunday. The midfielder has scored just two goals in 45 games for Sassuolo, but his bright start in the home side's yellow and blue jerseys will allow him to play in a supporting role to center forward Walid Sheidira. The finalist was recently loaned from Napoli, while two Juventus loanees - Enzo Barrenechea and Matias Soler - are also likely to make their debuts this weekend.
Last season's top scorer Samuel Mouratieri moved to Sassuolo in the summer, but the visitors are more likely to stick with Andrea Pinamonti up front, who scored the opening goal against Verona last time out. Domenico Berardi returned and shone in that game, and he has now been directly involved in at least one goal in six consecutive league games, totaling six goals and an assist.
SCORE PREDICTION: Frosino 1-1 Sassuolo With Sassuolo seemingly lacking the necessary ingenuity to win on the road, they may have to accept taking just one point from their trip to Frosino, who have made some interesting signings. The hosts are also managed by the wily Eusebio Di Francesco, who could keep his former side at bay in a low-scoring draw.
