Sassuolo vs Juventus - prediction, team news, lineups

By Jonathan O'Shea | 11 Sep 2026 08:36

Wrapping up Serie A's Sunday schedule, Juventus will visit Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium this weekend.

Juve narrowly avoided their first defeat of the season last week, while the Neroverdi were denied victory during stoppage time. 

Extending their unbeaten start to the campaign, Juventus salvaged a 1-1 draw with AC Milan last time out, as Federico Gatti emerged from the bench to net a dramatic late header.

While Juve have collected seven points from three matches - following prior wins over Frosinone and Parma - Gatti's use as an emergency striker tells the tale of their troubles up front.

Despite 55 registering attempts so far, the Bianconeri have only scored four goals, with new forwards Nick Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani yet to get off the mark.

Now hit by a series of injuries, Luciano Spalletti must try to find the right formula before Juve's Europa League campaign kicks off next week, when NEC Nijmegen visit Turin.

First, they are bound for Sassuolo, where Spalletti's side won 3-0 in January, topping up an average of 2.3 goals per game against the Neroverdi in Serie A.

Yet, Sassuolo held Juventus to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture a few weeks later, and have won two of their last three meetings at the Mapei Stadium. 

While former boss Fabio Grosso has already been sacked by Fiorentina, Alberto Aquilani's side have made a positive start to the ex-Roma midfielder's reign.

After sweeping past Cesena in the cup and losing to Atalanta in the league, Sassuolo secured their first top-flight win under Aquilani by beating Torino, then booked a Coppa Italia clash with Juve. 

The Neroverdi eliminated Frosinone on penalties in round two, making it three wins from four games before meeting Bologna for an Emilian derby: only a stoppage-time leveller cost them victory as it ended 2-2 at Stadio Dall'Ara.

Sassuolo's blend of talented youth and vast experience should serve them well in the months ahead, and they will now face one of Serie A's sternest tests.

Juventus must contend with a lengthy injury list, headlined by key midfielder Khephren Thuram, star man Kenan Yildiz and captain Manuel Locatelli.

The latter has been ruled out for several months with a serious knee injury sustained against his old club Milan, while Jeremie Boga will join him on the sidelines after tearing a hamstring.

Juan Cabal, Jeff Ekhator, Andrea Cambiaso, Pape Sarr and Weston McKennie were already unavailable, though the latter may return on Sunday.

An upcoming Europa League fixture is another factor for the visitors to consider, so Spalletti's selection will not be straightforward.

Meanwhile, Sassuolo's squad is relatively settled, even if they also have several men missing.

Fali Cande, Edoardo Pieragnolo and Ismael Kone are long-term absentees, while Sebastian Walukiewicz, Daniel Boloca and Cristian Volpato will sit this one out.

Still, talisman Domenico Berardi - so often linked with Juve down the years - should start in the final third alongside Armand Lauriente, who has attempted the most shots without scoring in Serie A this term.

Juventus-owned Vasilije Adzic recently scored at the Dall'Ara - his first league goal since netting Juve's winner in the Derby d'Italia this time last year.

Muric; Cinquegrano, Idzes, Leysen, Doig; Adzic, Matic, Thorstvedt; Berardi, Bowie, Lauriente

Vicario; Kalulu, Bremer, Lucumi, Celik; Luiz, Koopmeiners; Conceicao, Gonzalez, Alajbegovic; Woltemade

Even at this early stage of the season, both squads have been diminished by injuries, but Juventus should still start favourites.

The Bianconeri can boast a similar level of potency in the final third, while their defence is much more solid than Sassuolo's.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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