Sassuolo lost ground and went into the break only one point ahead of Udinese. Lecce continue to climb up the standings along with the newly-promoted Genoa and Frosinone

Let’s continue with our journey into the numbers, facts and performances of the teams who find themselves from twelfth to fifteenth in the table.

Ahead of Salernitana, Hellas Verona, Cagliari, Empoli and Udinese, we find Alessio Dionisi’s Sassuolo. The Neroverdi are currently in fifteenth place with 12 points, after securing a 2-2 comeback in their last match against Salernitana. Having started the season with two defeats in a row came two impressive results against Juventus and Inter: Berardi and co. beat the Bianconeri 4-2 and the following week, the Nerazzurri (1-2) at San Siro.                                            

From then, however, the Emilian outfit underwent a series of draws (3) and defeats (3), which translated to only 3 points won in their six matches played. This firmly put the brakes on the Neroverdi’s progress, losing the advantage they had created over their opponents; they now find themselves only 3 points above the danger zone.

16 goals scored, 5 of which by Domenico Berardi, who ended last season with 12 goals. The Neroverdi have conceded 21, however, and will need to bounce back from their recent form to fulfil their season’s objectives.

Two points ahead, on 14 are Roberto D’Aversa’s Lecce and Alberto Gilardino’s Genoa. The Giallorossi started the season excellently, with three victories and two draws in their first five games. This brilliant run of form did not go unnoticed as D’Aversa won Coach of the Month for August.

In their seventh match, however, began a run of four defeats and three draws, the last at the Via del Mare against AC Milan. After a second-half comeback and a crazy finish to the match, Lecce managed to bring home a precious point, valuable for the table and for morale.                      

Lecce have scored 13 goals so far, with Nikola Krstović topping their goal-scoring rankings so far with 4. They have only conceded 16 as defence proves to be a strong point for the Giallorossi.

Genoa and Lecce don’t only share the same number of points, they have also scored and conceded the same number of goals. Genoa have maintained exceptional home form: 10 of their 14 points won have come at the Ferraris dal Grifone, having won three, drawn one and lost two. In the other six away matches, however, the Rossoblù only managed three points at the Olimpico against Lazio, their other point coming from the draw against Udinese. All the other away matches have ended in defeat. It is nevertheless an entirely positive record for a newly-promoted team who have found in Albert Guðmundsson a seasoned striker with the ability to win games: he has scored 5 of the Grifone’s 13 goals whilst also being on the pitch for 1171 minutes, proving to be a reliable player. In the 2-2 draw against Udinese, he also became the first player from Iceland to have scored multiple goals in one Serie A TIM match.

Rounding off this quartet of teams is Eusebio Di Francesco’s Frosinone, currently in twelfth position with 15 points. The Ciociari immediately put themselves on show on Matchdays 2 and 4, beating Atalanta first (2-1), then Sassuolo (4-2), before finding victory again on Matchdays 8 and 11 against Hellas Verona (2-1) and Empoli (2-1). In their other matches, three draws and five defeats in a campaign in which Frosinone are clearly demonstrating their desire to stay in Serie A TIM, playing without fear no matter the opponent.

This is also thanks to Soulè, who is in great form, driving the team forward with his brilliant goals and appearances: 10 appearances, 913 minutes and 5 goals for the Argentine phantom, who is showing himself to be more and more central to the Gialloblu project. Despite the final result against Cagliari, he scored a splendid brace, his first in Serie A TIM, showing off all his qualities.

(Photo Getty Images) 

Serie A MADE IN ITALY

16 nov 2023