Expect Sassuolo to line up in their usual 4-3-3: Muric in goal, a back four of Cinquegrano, Macchioni, Odenthal and Doig, with Bakola, Matic and Adzic in the midfield pivot. Laurienté and Volpato will flank Bowie, giving them pace and directness in wide areas. Aquilani wants his full-backs high, his midfielders to press in packs, and his wingers to isolate full-backs one-on-one. The absence of Koné is a blow — he was a wrecking ball in midfield — but Matic brings experience and calm, and Bakola adds legs. This is a side that will dominate possession at the Mapei Stadium and look to knife through Torino’s lines with quick, vertical passes.

Torino will likely stick with their 3-4-2-1, a low block that invites pressure. They will sit in two banks, force Sassuolo wide, and try to hit on the break through their front three. The wing-backs will drop deep to make a back five, which makes them compact but also means they surrender the flanks. That is a dangerous game against Laurienté, who loves cutting inside onto his right foot. Torino’s midfield double pivot will be busy — they will need to screen the back three and stop Adzic from finding space between the lines. If they sit too deep, Sassuolo will have time to pick passes and whip crosses into Bowie. If they push up, the pace of Volpato and Laurienté will punish them in behind.