Sassuolo vs Crvena Zvezda Predictions, Betting Tips, & Match Preview

Sassuolo’s rise to prominence in Italy has been a rapid one. Sassuolo played their first-ever Serie A match in August 2013 and now, just three years later, they have achieved Europa League qualification after finishing 6th in the Serie A. Their Europa League campaign began in the third qualifying round tie against Swiss side Luzern a few weeks back. Sassuolo drew 1-1 away in the first leg, their first competitive match of the new season, but dominated the second leg with a 3-0 win at home. Italian striker Domenico Beradi was clinical throughout, scoring three of Sassuolo’s four. Confidence should be high for the Italian side heading into this playoff round.

Red Star Belgrade (AKA Crvena Zvezda) are nowhere as dominant as they were in their glory years. Red Star famously won the Champions League in 1991 but this season find themselves once again knocked  before the group stage, a feat they haven’t achieved since the 2007/08 season. Consequently, Red Star Belgrade enter the UEFA Europa League here in the playoff stage. Despite their disappointing performances in Europe, the Serbian SuperLiga reigning champions are already five matches into their domestic season and look sharp. Red Star have taken four wins and a draw from their first five matches, and sit three points above 2nd placed Vojvodina atop the table.

Red Star Belgrade have known problems at the back, with coach Modrag Bozovic’s rotation of players often causing uncertainty. Red Star conceded in all four of their UEFA Champions League matches before they were knocked out, including in both ties against Valletta from Malta who are a much weaker side. Red Star were kept afloat by their ability to also score goals, scoring exactly two goals in each of their four Champions League matches (two 2-1 wins, one 2-2 draw and one 4-2 defeat). While Sassuolo are the much less experienced side in European competition, they are the stronger team and have made some decent signings to further improve over the summer (see team news). Sassuolo have also managed an average of two goals per game over their, admittedly smaller sample of, two Europa League matches so far, but we nonetheless feel that there will be plenty of action here.

Over 2.5 goals, therefore, seems decent value in that regard. Over 2.5 goals at 19/20 and Sassuolo to win 2-1 at 15/2 with bet365 are our choice bets for this Europa League playoff first leg.