Grosso: ‘Sassuolo players wrote names in history books with crazy victory’
Fabio Grosso feels Sassuolo ‘wrote their names in the history books of this club’ with a 2-1 victory over Atalanta when down to 10 men. ‘It’s the icing on the cake with a big cherry on top.’
The Neroverdi are on spectacular form, winning five of their last six Serie A matches, and flying into eighth place in the table.
It is all the more remarkable, as Andrea Pinamonti received a straight red card after just 16 minutes for a studs-up tackle on Berat Djimsiti’s ankle.
Nonetheless, Ismael Koné and Kristian Thorstvedt turned in Armand Laurienté assists, and although Yunus Musah got one back late on, Arijanet Muric had a series of decisive fingertip saves to keep the points secure.
Grosso hails ‘crazy’ Sassuolo
“It was a crazy game. The lads wrote their names in the history books of this club,” Grosso told DAZN Italia.
Although they had been doing well, Sassuolo had not yet managed to beat one of the big clubs this season.
“We had been looking for the icing on the cake, and this was the icing with a big cherry on top. Our opponents were coming off the Champions League, but are also very strong. Our defenders were solid, determined, it’s not easy to keep that concentration for 90 minutes.
“We’re glad to have picked up some important points, and to achieve it with a performance like this.”
There was more bad luck for Sassuolo today, as Alieu Fadera had been on the pitch for just five minutes when he had to be substituted, left dazed by an aerial collision with Sead Kolasinac.
“Everyone worked so hard today, both those who started and who came off the bench. We are often very attacking and ambitious, but oddly we used up less energy today than usual, because we were so very concentrated,” added Grosso.
“My lads achieved something truly remarkable today.”
Considering he is back to fitness and such fine form, should Domenico Berardi be called up for Italy’s World Cup play-offs?
“He is my player, so of course I am his sponsor, but the coach and his staff will know what to do in order to take Italy back to where we belong, and haven’t been for a while.”
Being a newly-promoted side, the Neroverdi can now look to the final weeks of the campaign without pressure, and potentially even aim for Europe.
“It’s easy to forget that we were coming from Serie B, so it’s not easy to make that leap, and we’ve seen many other teams struggle badly. So we don’t want to settle, we know that every match is an opportunity, and we will go for points in every game.
“That is the objective, because we are nearly there, but not mathematically sure of safety yet,” concluded Grosso.