Sassuolo – Napoli: New Season, Old Napoli (0 – 2)

Napoli picked up right where they left off, with a McTominay header following a well-developed play down the right flank and a defensive setup that remains difficult to break. Additionally, De Bruyne marked his first appearance with the new club by scoring from a free kick.Tactical analysis and match report by Agostino Dosselli.

Sassuolo’s purgatory in Serie B lasted only one year, with the team dominating throughout the entire season and securing enough points to return to Serie A by the end of April. As a testament to the strength and ambition of the club, all the top players were retained last year and confirmed for the new season. Additionally, the signings of players like Nemanja Matić and Ismaël Koné give manager Fabio Grosso a squad with enough quality to remain in Serie A.

Antonio Conte has never had such a sweet transfer window, with the club happy to spend more than €150 million to satisfy all the manager’s requests, and with Kevin De Bruyne as the icing on the cake. The team is likely experiencing the best period in its history, having never boasted so many top-tier players. Now it's up to Conte and his staff to make the most of this abundance, aiming to be competitive both domestically and in Europe.

Mister Grosso chose a 4-3-3 formation, a trademark that has remained unchanged through the years. Stefano Turati stood as the goalkeeper, with Tarik Muharemovic and Filippo Romagna as centre-backs, flanked by Sebastian Walukiewicz and Josh Doig. The midfield trio consisted of Daniel Boloca in the number six role, with Ismaël Koné and Luca Lipari as wing-halves. The inverted . . .