Sassuolo welcome Juventus to the Mapei Stadium on January 6 as two teams with contrasting form collide in Serie A. The hosts sit ninth with 22 points after back-to-back draws, while Luciano Spalletti's fourth-placed visitors boast 32 points but arrive nursing wounds from a frustrating stalemate against Lecce. Juventus enter as favorites, though recent history at this venue tells a different story—Sassuolo won both meetings here before their relegation, including a memorable 4-2 thrashing last April.
Fabio Grosso's Sassuolo have flattened out after a promising start to their Serie A return. The Neroverdi drew 1-1 with local rivals Parma on January 3, surrendering a lead through Kristian Thorstvedt after failing to capitalize on their chances. That followed a 1-1 draw at Bologna and a spirited 2-2 result at the San Siro against AC Milan, where substitute Armand Lauriente rescued a point late. Domenico Berardi and Andrea Pinamonti lead the attack with four goals each, while the defense has leaked 21 goals in 17 matches. Despite the inconsistency, Sassuolo have proven they can match bigger sides—they held Milan and even beat Fiorentina 3-1 last month.
Spalletti's Juventus saw their three-match winning streak snapped by relegation-threatened Lecce in their last outing. The Bianconeri dominated possession and created chances but were undone by poor finishing and Jonathan David's saved penalty in a 1-1 draw. Before that disappointment, Juventus had won four straight across all competitions, including victories over Pisa (2-0) and Roma (2-1). The Old Lady have scored in ten consecutive Serie A matches and remain unbeaten in five, yet their inability to convert dominance into goals continues to haunt them. With Dusan Vlahovic sidelined for weeks with an adductor injury, the burden falls on David and youngster Kenan Yildiz to provide the cutting edge.
Spalletti addressed the media ahead of the trip, insisting he remains content with his squad despite the January window opening. "I'm happy with the players at my disposal," the Juventus boss said. "We urgently need to give our fans something to cheer about, and I hope 2026 will be the year we achieve that." Grosso, meanwhile, has repeatedly demonstrated his side's fearless approach against elite opposition. "We need to raise our level to compete against teams of this caliber," he noted before facing Milan. "But we know we can hurt them if we play the right way."
Juventus hold a commanding historical edge in this fixture, winning 17 of 24 Serie A meetings compared to Sassuolo's four victories. However, the Neroverdi claimed both encounters at the Mapei Stadium before their relegation—a 1-0 win followed by that stunning 4-2 triumph where Berardi, Pinamonti, and Lauriente all found the net. The most recent clash saw Juventus cruise to a 3-0 victory, but away form has been less assured this season, and Sassuolo's ability to trouble top sides at home makes this far from straightforward.
My model backs Juventus to edge this contest at 73/100 odds (1.73 decimal), translating to a 48.89% win probability. The correct score prediction is 2-1 to the visitors, with expected goals of 0.82 for Sassuolo and 1.40 for Juventus. Juventus have scored in eleven straight Serie A games, and their superior attacking quality should make the difference despite Sassuolo's home advantage.