Sassuolo will certainly be disappointed for the way their season went. They could have obtained much more had they been more consistent between early January and early April. In fact, they ended up missing out on a last-second qualification to the new-born European Conference League only due to a poorer goal difference than Roma.
Coach De Zerbi and his boys started the season in the best of ways as they installed themselves among the top teams, courtesy of an undefeated 8-game run. They eventually closed the year 2020 with just 2 defeats in 14 weeks, sitting on the 5th spot, while they were playing outstanding football.
Then, between weeks 15 and 29, their performances worsened as they had problems winning games. They only defeated Genoa, Crotone and Hellas Verona in this stretch of time, while they started conceding masses of goals and failed to keep any clean sheets. Injuries to key players like Berardi and Boga’s loss of form certainly were joint causes for that fall.
Having lost touch with the European spots, they were 11 points away from Roma, Sassuolo proved capable of an impressive run in the final 9 weeks of the season, winning 7 and losing only 1. Thanks to that, they eventually matched the Wolves in the table, but Roma reached Europe only thanks to a goal scored a few minutes before the final whistle of the campaign.
Berardi and Locatelli were the key players of the season. The former set his scoring record (17 goals) while also providing 8 assists, while the latter was all over the pitch, initiating the attacks and supporting the defence whenever needed.
Caputo, who had hit 11 goals and served 8 assists, completely missed the final part of the campaign due to injury while a new star was born in Raspadori, who left a mark in the final weeks.
With De Zerbi leaving after 3 seasons at the helm, Sassuolo will now have to make the right choice for the future.
