Sassuolo welcome Fiorentina to the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia for a Serie A fixture between two clubs whose league positions sit well below where they expected to be, according to Goal.com. Both teams go into the match needing points urgently, with Sassuolo in 15th place and Fiorentina one spot lower in 17th.
Goal.com reports that the match is one of three this week shown on a co-exclusive basis by both DAZN and Sky Sport, with streaming also available through NOW. Sky Sport carries the television broadcast, while DAZN and NOW provide the online feed. For a limited period, the annual DAZN Full plan, billed across 12 monthly instalments, is priced at €29.99 per month, and supporters who follow only one of the two clubs can opt for DAZN MyClubPass, a single-team subscription.
Why it matters
Neither club has met its own expectations this season, and the table reflects it. Sassuolo and Fiorentina are separated by just a couple of places near the bottom of the division, and Goal.com notes that both must keep a close watch on the teams behind them in the fight to avoid relegation. A result at the Mapei Stadium would give either side breathing room; a defeat would deepen the pressure on the coaching staff and squad alike.
Sassuolo's slide since beating Juventus
Alberto Aquilani's team raised hopes among supporters in Emilia with a victory over Juventus, but the run that followed has been grim. According to Goal.com, Sassuolo have collected a single point from their last five league matches, a sequence that includes a 6-2 home defeat to Lazio in the most recent midweek round and a 2-0 loss to Como. The only point in that stretch came from a 1-1 draw with AC Milan. Across those five games, Sassuolo scored seven goals and conceded 13.
Aquilani's selection problems are considerable. Goal.com reports that Ismael Koné, Fedde Leysen, Daniel Boloca, Edoardo Pieragnolo, Yeferson Paz and Jay Idzes are all unavailable through injury, while Kristian Thorstvedt is suspended after his sending-off against Lazio. The expected lineup puts Turati in goal, with Caleta-Car, Odenthal, Cinquegrano and Doig across the defence, Matic, Bakola and Adzic in midfield, and Berardi, Esposito and Laurienté forming the front three.
Fiorentina's defensive reshuffle
Paolo Vanoli's side arrive in similar difficulty. Fiorentina have lost their last three league matches and conceded seven goals in the process, and Goal.com places them 17th. A 2-2 draw with Atalanta in their most recent outing brought some relief, but it followed a 2-1 defeat to Inter, and losses to Como (3-1) and Genoa (2-1) also feature in a five-match run of no wins, two draws and three defeats. Over those five games Fiorentina scored seven and conceded 11.
The injury list forces Vanoli into improvisation, especially at the back. Parisi, Sottil, Ranieri, Atta and Pongracic are all out, and Goal.com expects De Gea to start in goal behind a defence of Jimenez, Dragusin, Viery and Joao Mario. Ndour, Brescianini and Oulai are tipped for midfield, with Mastantuono, Pellegrino and Njie in attack.
Recent meetings and form lines
The most recent encounter between the clubs, in April 2026, finished 0-0. Over the last five meetings Sassuolo hold the better record with two wins to Fiorentina's one and two draws, including a 3-1 Sassuolo victory in December 2025 and a 5-1 Fiorentina win in April 2024, according to Goal.com.
Both sides have been involved in open games of late. Goal.com notes that three of the last five matches for each club produced more than 2.5 goals, and in three of those five for each team both sides found the net.
Kick-off details and full broadcast information are set out by Goal.com, which also advises viewers who want a more secure connection or access from a region with geographical restrictions to consider using a virtual private network.
What happens next depends on whether either manager can steady a squad short of fit defenders and short of confidence; the result at the Mapei Stadium will shape how both clubs approach the coming weeks in the relegation fight.
