Sassuolo took an early lead over Fiorentina in their Serie A round 10 meeting at the Mapei Stadium on Monday, with Armand Laurienté opening the scoring in the 25th minute, according to Goal.com's live coverage of the match.
The fixture is the penultimate game of the round in the 2026/2027 season, with kick-off at 6.30pm. Goal.com reports that Sassuolo, managed by Alberto Aquilani, entered the match looking to recover from a 6-2 loss to Lazio in the midweek round, while Vincenzo Vanoli's Fiorentina arrived after a 2-2 draw with Atalanta that left them deep in the relegation zone.
Why it matters
The game carries weight at both ends of the table. For Sassuolo, it is a chance to steady themselves quickly after conceding six against Lazio, a result that would have unsettled a side midway through the campaign. For Fiorentina, the stakes are more urgent: Goal.com reports that the club sits firmly in the relegation zone, and a defeat at the Mapei would deepen the pressure on Vanoli's team.
The opening goal also arrived in a manner that will frustrate the visitors. According to Goal.com, Viery lost possession and Esposito recovered the ball before releasing Laurienté straight away. Laurienté timed his run to the edge of offside, went through one-on-one with David de Gea, and the goalkeeper was slow to come off his line. Laurienté finished with a low right-footed strike that went between De Gea's legs.
Fiorentina's early chance goes begging
Before Sassuolo scored, Fiorentina had the clearest opening of the first half. Goal.com reports that Jimenez played the ball through for Mastantuono, who found himself one-on-one with Turati. Mastantuono dragged his angled effort too far across the goal and narrowly wide.
That miss proved costly. Had Fiorentina converted, the match might have taken a different shape, with Sassuolo still working their way back into form after the Lazio defeat. Instead, the visitors found themselves chasing the game inside the first half hour.
How the sides lined up
Aquilani set Sassuolo out in a 4-3-3, per Goal.com's team sheets. Turati started in goal behind a back four of Walukiewicz, Idzes, Cande and Doig. Sulemana, Matic and Adzic formed the midfield three, with Berardi, Esposito and Laurienté leading the attack.
Vanoli chose a 4-3-2-1 for Fiorentina. De Gea was in goal, protected by Jiménez, Dragușin, Viery and Joao Mario. Ndour, Fagioli and Brescianini made up the midfield, with Mastantuono and Njie operating behind Pellegrino as the lone forward.
The lineups reflect two different approaches: Sassuolo's front three gave them width and a direct route in behind, which is exactly how the goal came about, while Fiorentina's shape packed the midfield and relied on Pellegrino as a focal point.
What to watch
Fiorentina now need a response, and with their league position already precarious, how Vanoli's side react to going behind will say much about their season. Sassuolo, meanwhile, will want to protect the advantage and avoid the kind of collapse that defined their midweek outing. Goal.com's live coverage continues as both teams push for the next goal.
