Sassuolo Fire Aquilani, Slated to Turn To D’Aversa

Sassuolo are the sixth Serie A team to opt for an early coaching change, as they have axed Alberto Aquilani and are set to bring in Roberto D’Aversa. The Neroverdi have fallen into a deep hole. After a good-looking start during which they picked off Juventus and drew with Milan, they have been defeated in six of seven rounds.

They have lost against Monza, Frosinone, Como, Lazio, Fiorentina, and Roma over that span. They have been particularly poor defensively, allowing 19 goals in the last 5 matches. The young boss tried a different scheme versus the Giallorossi, turning to a three-man line. The situation didn’t improve much.

According to Alfredo Pedullà, D’Aversa was the lone concrete target for Sassuolo, despite some chatter about Vincenzo Montella. He reportedly recently passed on taking over Venezia to remain a free agent.

He wasn’t confirmed by Torino in the summer despite leading them to a 12th-place finish, tallying 5 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses. His previous three spells weren’t great. He couldn’t avoid relegation with Empoli while guiding them for the entire campaign. Prior to that, he was dismissed early by Sampdoria and Lecce.

Things are wide open down low, with no proper sad sacks at the moment. Many clubs feel the pressure, leading to quick firings rather than patience to see if the gaffers can find a way out of the ruts. It’s hard to argue with the call, as they have looked awful lately, and he seemed so defeated. The hiring isn’t too inspiring, but they have a lot of talent in their squad. Perhaps a veteran will harness it better.