Sassuolo are back in Serie A after a short stay in the second tier. Here’s a reminder of what the top flight missed and what to expect in 2025-26.

Who Are They?

They are no strangers to Serie A, put it that way. Sassuolo’s stay in the second tier was brief, a season to be precise, as they cantered to the Serie B title and back to the top division they had called home since 2013.

But if you want to go further back, to the beginning, Unione Sportiva Sassuolo Calcio were founded 105 years ago and actually wore yellow and red, the colours of the coat of arms of the city of Sassuolo, until 1970.

They spent most of the 20th century between amateur football and Serie D, merging with local clubs in the early years, and did not reach the dizzy heights of Serie C1 until 2006. Since then, they have gone from strength to strength.

English Premier League fans will be familiar with some of their famous names – ex-Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi achieved a couple of eighth-place finishes in the top flight just a few years ago, while Italian World Cup winner Fabio Grosso is the man in charge now, taking the reins last summer and leading them back up.

Since 2013 they have shared a stadium with Reggiana, 25km from Sassuolo in Reggio Emilia. That relationship is a bit complicated. In short, the ground was once owned by Reggiana, who are now the rent-paying tenants following financial trouble. 

What Can We Expect?

There are plenty of reasons for Sassuolo fans to be excited.

Aside from having Grosso in the dugout, two of the club’s most dependable are set to lead the resurgence – Chairman Carlo Rossi and skipper Domenico Berardi.

In a sometimes fickle industry such as football, where individuals often flee at the first sign of turmoil, Rossi and Berardi have remained committed to the Sassuolo cause. It’s a partnership that began in 2012.

Rossi was chairman when Sassuolo won their historic first promotion in 2013, with a then-19-year-old Berardi scoring 16 goals in his first top-flight season. The pair helped the Neroverdi narrowly avoid immediate relegation.

While 11 seasons in the top flight is deemed impressive for such a tiny club, Rossi and Berardi have steered Sassuolo through the highs – three top-half of the table finishes and Europa League qualification – and the lows – two 7-0 hammerings to Inter in the first two seasons.

Don’t expect the latter upon their return to the big time.

Last season, Sassuolo were simply a top division side trapped in a second division nightmare. They won’t be planning on going back anytime soon.

Moreover, they have the means to stay up, with billionaire owner Mapei (Marco Squinzi, his sister, and cousin) supplying the financial backing.

But as we have seen over the years with the hundreds of millions of euros in player sales, Giacomo Raspadori, Manuel Locatelli, and Gianluca Scamacca, to name a few, the Squinzis are indeed running a profitable business. And the imminent sale of Armand Lauriente could mean another €20m to spend.

Despite the speed bumps of the past two years – managerial turmoil, long-term injuries, and unexpected relegation – we expect Sassuolo to return to Serie A with their 2022 attitude – intent to surprise the big boys and dominate the little guys.

Their cohesive defence and tenacious midfield played a crucial role last term, with Josh Doig, Daniel Boloca, and Tarik Muharemović a class above.

Up front, Grosso may not have the wantaway Lauriente at his disposal, but there is still plenty of firepower with goal sneaks Samuele Mulattieri (nine last season), Luca Moro (seven), and Nicholas Pierini (10), plus Andrea Pinamonti, who returns from his loan spell at Genoa.

Expect Sassuolo to survive. Importantly, Berardi remaining injury-free means Sassuolo fans remain worry-free.

How Big Are They?

Compared to their neighbours in the Emilia-Romagna region they are not as successful or internationally known as the likes of Parma or Bologna, but since 2013 they have spent as long in the top flight as either of those teams. In that time they have won two Serie B crowns and played in the Europa League. 

In numerical terms, their town has a population of 40,000, so their average gate floating between 12,000 and 14,000 is pretty impressive.

What Has Been Their Greatest Achievement?

Their constant and steady rise is an achievement in itself – from the depths of Serie D to the bright lights of Europe in the space of 20 years.

Their European campaign in 2016-17 was certainly a highlight. That came after an incredible sixth-place finish in Serie A, while those back-to-back eighth-place finishes in 2020 and 2021 are fondly remembered. 

Sassuolo did not escape the group stage on their Europa League adventure but they did enjoy famous home victories, beating Red Star Belgrade and Athletic Bilbao. 

A major trophy is missing from the cabinet and their best Coppa Italia run was to the quarter-final in 2022.

Who Are Their Cult Heroes?

Berardi. Not only a club idol but one of the national heroes who won the European Championship with Italy in 2021. Berardi’s breakout season in 2012-13 earned him a move to Juventus but he quickly returned and has been in the green and black since.

Berardi is his side’s all-time top scorer and has twice topped the assist chart in Serie A. He was the architect behind their first away win in the top division with a hat-trick against Sampdoria in late 2013, and at the start of 2014 he scored all four goals as they came from 2-0 down to beat Milan 4-3.

Eusebio Di Francesco was the boss when Sassuolo punched their first ticket to the big time and he was the man who took them into Europe. Four coaches later, Fabio Grosso could transcend to hero status should he take the club back into Europe.

And Francesco Magnanelli, now coach of the Juventus Under-20s, hung up his boots after more than 400 appearances for Sassuolo.

Why Should I Visit?

Sassuolo is a small town but full of charm and incredible architecture. The Palazzo Ducale is a stunning baroque villa in the city centre, and the Peschiera Ducale is certainly worth a visit. It’s a historic water feature that was part of the larger palace and even served as a source of fish for the nobles. The old stonework and haunting outline of the design is unique.

The team have not called the 4,000-capacity Stadio Enzo Ricci home for a while but they still train there and it is a pretty niche stadium for groundhoppers to tick off.

The whole of Emilia-Romagna is famous for its cuisine and is well connected by road and rail. Reggio Emilia sits between Parma to the north and Bologna to the south, with Modena even closer. The diversity of terrain and unique weather in the region lends itself to incredible food production and each city has their own special dish, of course.

It’s too convenient to be true. You could fly into Bologna for some ragu (bolognese) then pass through Modena, which is the famous home of Ferrari, Luciano Pavarotti and most importantly; balsamic vinegar. Then take in Sassuolo town and a Neroverdi game in neighbouring Reggio Emilia before finishing off the tour with a table of the finest prosciutto e formaggio (ham and cheese) in Parma. Washed down with some lambrusco wine native to this incredible part of Italy.