Serie A

Roma aim to take second place with win against Sassuolo

Roma host Sassuolo with a view to closing the gap to the leaders, while the Neroverdi are in desperate need of points in their fight for survival.

Three points would see Roma leapfrog Inter and move within one point of leaders Lazio, at least for a night. Still unbeaten in the league, Roma host Sassuolo looking for a third consecutive victory after wins against Cagliari and Udinese. However, former Roma player Aquilani, who made 102 Serie A appearances and scored nine goals for the Giallorossi, needs his Sassuolo side to start picking up points after four straight defeats.

HEAD TO HEAD

There have been 12 previous competitive meetings between the two sides in Rome: 6 wins for Roma (most recently 2-0 in Serie A 2025/26), 5 draws (most recently 0-0 in Serie A 2020/21) and just 1 away win for Sassuolo (4-3 in Serie A 2022/23).

Roma have scored in 11 of their last 12 matches against Sassuolo: the only exception was the 0-0 draw in Serie A 2020/21. They scored 24 goals across the other 11 meetings.

DID YOU KNOW?

Roma are unbeaten in their last 17 matches in Italian competitions: 13 wins and 4 draws. Their last defeat came on 5 April (Inter-Roma 5-2, Serie A).

Roma have had more different goalscorers than any other team (12, level with Lazio).

Roma have scored more goals through substitutes than any other team (7).

Sassuolo have conceded more goals to substitutes than any other team (5, level with Bologna).

This match brings together the team with the most goals scored (Roma, 28) and the team with the most goals conceded (Sassuolo, 26).

Sassuolo have conceded more goals than any other team in the opening 15 minutes of the second half (7).

Sassuolo have conceded more penalties than any other team (3, level with Atalanta, Frosinone and Venezia).

Sassuolo have collected just 1 point from their last 6 league matches (Sassuolo-Milan 1-1). Their last victory came on 13 September (Sassuolo-Juventus 3-2, Serie A).

Sassuolo have kept just 1 clean sheet in competitive matches this season: the 3-0 home win over Cesena in the Coppa Italia Round of 64.

COACHES and PLAYERS

This will be the first official meeting between Gian Piero Gasperini and Alberto Aquilani.

Alberto Aquilani faces one of his former clubs: as a Roma player, he made 149 appearances and scored 15 goals, in 2002/03 and from 2004/05 to 2008/09.

Daniele Ghilardi scored against Udinese: it was his 1st goal for Roma and the Italian defender’s 1st Serie A goal.

DISCIPLINE

Suspended: none

Cautioned: none

REFEREE

DI BELLO (PERETTI – SCATRAGLI) IV: ABISSO, VAR: PEZZUTO, AVAR: GUIDA

UPCOMING MATCHES

Parma-Roma (21/11, 18.00)

Sassuolo-Genoa (22/11, 15.00)

(Photo Getty Images)