Sassuolo vs Lazio — 27 October 2026

Lazio travel to Reggio Emilia looking to extend their perfect away record in Serie A. Gennaro Gattuso's team have won every league match on the road this season and remain level on points with leaders Inter after eight rounds. Sassuolo, meanwhile, have struggled in recent weeks, although their home record against Lazio offers some encouragement. The visitors have lost three of their last five trips to the Mapei Stadium.

Sassuolo's Defensive Problems and Declining Form

Sassuolo initially appeared to have handled their managerial change well, but results have deteriorated under Alberto Aquilani. The team have collected just one point from their last four Serie A matches, losing to Como (2-0), Frosinone (4-2), and Monza (2-1), while drawing 1-1 with Milan.

One of Sassuolo's main problems is their approach to building attacks from the back. Aquilani prefers short passing sequences starting near his team's penalty area, but frequent turnovers have left the defense exposed. Opponents that press aggressively have been particularly effective at disrupting these situations.

In attack, Sassuolo continue to rely heavily on wide areas, much as they did under Fabio Grosso. Domenico Berardi and Armand Laurienté provide individual quality on the flanks, with Cristian Volpato and Dominguez available as alternatives. However, committing players forward often leaves space for opponents to exploit when possession changes.

Defensive injuries have made these transitions harder to manage. Sassuolo are without key defender Fedde Leysen and defensive midfielder Ismaël Koné, both sidelined with long-term injuries. Their absences have weakened a defensive structure that was already struggling to maintain its shape.

Sassuolo's home matches have also been relatively productive in front of goal, averaging exactly two goals scored by the hosts per game during the 2026/27 campaign. However, that attacking output has not prevented their recent decline in results.

Lazio's Strong Start Under Gattuso

Gattuso has established Lazio as one of Serie A's most consistent teams. After eight rounds, the Rome club remain level on points with Inter, trailing the league leaders only on tiebreakers.

The foundation of Lazio's performances has been their organized defense, intensive pressing, and quick vertical attacks. They have conceded just five goals in eight league matches, the best defensive record in Serie A.

While Lazio have been effective when attacking quickly, their positional play remains less convincing. The team sometimes struggles to create openings against opponents defending in an organized shape, particularly when required to maintain possession for extended periods.

The recent 2-1 victory over Parma illustrated this challenge. Lazio had an unusually high 68% share of possession but still found a way to collect three points. Their attack has remained productive throughout the campaign, with at least two goals scored in each of their last six league matches.

Squad injuries have not significantly disrupted Lazio's results. Nicolò Rovella, Albert Gudmundsson, and Adam Marušić are all unavailable, and each would otherwise be a strong candidate for the starting lineup.

However, their replacements have performed well. Reda Belahyane, Tijjani Noslin, and Romano Floriani Mussolini have made noticeable progress under Gattuso, providing effective alternatives to the injured players. Their contributions have helped Lazio maintain consistency despite the reduced squad depth.

Key Factors

The interaction between Sassuolo's short passing from defense and Lazio's aggressive pressing could be particularly important. If the hosts struggle to move the ball through the first line of pressure, turnovers in dangerous areas may disrupt their attempts to build attacks.

At the same time, Sassuolo's reliance on wide players offers a way to challenge Lazio's defensive organization, especially when the visitors commit players forward. How well both teams manage possession changes and protect the space behind their attacking players could shape the match.