Sassuolo moved to restore stability with the appointment of Fabio D’Aversa on Tuesday, 10 November, a day after confirming the end of Davide Aquilani’s spell in charge.
D’Aversa has agreed a contract until 30 June 2027 and conducted his first training session with the squad immediately after taking over. Salvatore Sullo has been named as his assistant, with Marco Piccioni and Marco Riggio also joining the technical staff. The Italian club’s early-season inconsistency has left them short on points and confidence. Sassuolo have collected eight points from their opening 11 Serie A matches and sit 17th in the table.
Defence has been the clearest issue. Sassuolo have conceded 29 goals, the highest total in the division at the time of Aquilani’s dismissal. The coach’s time ended after five successive defeats, following an extended run that saw Sassuolo go seven matches without a win, losing six of them, including a 3-0 defeat away to AS Roma on Saturday, 7 November.
Aquilani had started brightly, winning two of his first four league games after taking charge in the summer. But results deteriorated sharply after that early momentum, leaving the club with a need for immediate organisation and better defensive control.
First major test
D’Aversa’s previous experience includes spells at Parma, Sampdoria, Lecce, Empoli and Torino. His standout achievement came at Parma, where he guided the club from Serie C to Serie A via consecutive promotions. Most recently, he took charge of Torino in February 2026 and helped them move away from relegation trouble, finishing 12th.
Sassuolo now have the international break to work on structure, improve confidence, and address the defensive problems that have defined their campaign so far.
His first competitive match is scheduled for Sunday, 22 November, when Sassuolo host Genoa in Serie A. It offers an early chance to gather vital points and build distance from the relegation picture.
