Sassuolo, the veterans of promotions. The new ones know the way to Serie A

Winning helps you win: football psychology, and sports psychology in general, finds in this sentence a truth that, often, is like the famous self-fulfilling prophecy. Certainly, having positive and winning experiences behind you is a plus for anyone and, in this sense, the CVs of Kevin bonifazi, Luca mazzitelli e Simone verdi I am, for the Sassuolo, a guarantee, if it is true that the three have obtained a total of five promotions from Serie B to Serie A, the defender with Spal (2016-17), the midfielder with Monza (2021-22) and Frosinone (2022-23), the playmaker with Empoli 2013-14 and Como last season.

They know how to do it, in short, as well as Fabio Grosso (and Boloca, Obiang, Berardi, Mulattieri and Pierini) and, if it is true that this is not enough, it certainly helps. The three, however, were not bought only for this, but because they have a good chance, between now and the end of the season, of becoming key players for the Neroverdi in search of a rebound in Serie A. Where, moreover, they come from, and it is no coincidence. However, rather than on the past it is worth focusing on the present, to understand precisely what role they will have in this Sassuolo. Bonifazi arrives in Sassuolo to reinforce the central defense department that, in recent months, has particularly suffered from the absence of Romagna. The former Lecce player needs to play: various physical problems - the last a meniscus injury in August - have blocked him in the last year and a half (just 16 appearances) - and, if his body leaves him alone, due to his experience and athletic qualities he is the main candidate for a shirt in a group of central defenders that, with him, becomes very deep. Mazzitelli's return is a godsend for Grosso, who already had him at Frosinone, when he also scored 5 goals, and will perfectly complete a midfield with Boloca and Thorstvedt. His ability to launch long vertically seems particularly suited to the speed of the Neroverdi forwards, Laurienté above all, as a trigger weapon.

At this year's glamorous Como he picked up the crumbs, and the desire to regain a leading role is one of the reasons that pushed him to return to the black and green. Suggestive, then, the arrival of Simone Verdi, 8 goals last season at Como, a player who can play in all attacking roles: he can kick and score (including free kicks) with both feet, he reads situations as a playmaker and in the past he has also acted as a false 9, a solution that Grosso has tried several times. Now he will be able to propose it again with an extra man but, yes for sure, between true and false centre forwards, the coach certainly cannot complain.