Serie A

Sassuolo are building momentum: after the 2-1 win against Torino in the league, the Neroverdi saw off Frosinone in the Coppa Italia in a shoot-out won 5-4, with a decisive Turati. Alberto Aquilani stressed that going through was the aim and openly said he wanted to “give ourselves that challenge against Juve” in the last 16. The internal mood is calm, the head coach saying he is satisfied with a window in which some players “arrived yesterday” and whom he still has to integrate. The trip to Bologna on Sunday at 18:00 will say whether that momentum holds against opponents of a different calibre.

Alberto Aquilani continues to maintain a visibly trusting relationship with his board: he declared himself “very happy” with the work done in the market, while taking on the responsibility that now falls to him, coaching and integrating late signings. He also claimed responsibility for selection decisions, a phrase that commits him personally rather than the club. The death of Enzo Castelli, a former partner, executive and sponsor, also prompted a statement signed by president Carlo Rossi and chief executive Veronica Squinzi, recalling the family and local roots of the neroverde institution.

The mood among supporters has hardened around one specific subject: scheduling. The group Sic Ex Mvrice Gemmæ announced it would not attend the Coppa Italia match against Frosinone in protest at a 15:00 kick-off on a Wednesday working day, described as an “indecent time” and making the trip to the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia difficult for people at work. The group took care to specify that its action was not aimed at the team but defended “fair and popular football”. That boycott contrasts with the ovation given to Domenico Berardi on the club's return to Serie A a few days earlier.

No particular pressure weighs on Alberto Aquilani, who has strung together a league win and a cup qualification. His message remains measured: he emphasises the objective achieved rather than the manner, and points out that several players have only just arrived. The draw pits him against Juventus in the last 16, a fixture he presents as a challenge sought rather than endured. The trip to Bologna, with Marco Di Bello refereeing, will be the first real test of his team's level.

Survival remains the squad's official line, but the message is cautiously widening: Aquilani explicitly said that the club “cares about the Coppa Italia” and that he wanted the fixture against Juventus, which reflects an openly stated ambition in the domestic cup. In the league, the immediate objective is to back up the win against Torino on a trip to Bologna. The academy is coming off a heavy setback with the Primavera's 4-0 defeat at Parma. The club's economic line, built on player-trading profits, is unchanged.

There is no reported internal tension, but two points of attention. The first is the protest over the schedule by part of the organised support, which chose to stay away from the stadium rather than criticise the team. The second is the depth of the defensive squad, still short of two long-term injuries, in a season that looks busy across league and cup. Enzo Castelli's death has also plunged the club into a moment of mourning that recalls its local roots.