Sassuolo W vs Roma W: Serie A Women's Clash on 10 May 2026

Stadio Enzo Ricci hosts a classic top-versus-bottom clash on 10 May 2026 as ninth-placed Sassuolo W welcome league leaders Roma W in Serie A Women. With the regular season entering its decisive stretch, the stakes are clear: Sassuolo are fighting to stay clear of the relegation scrap, while Roma are trying to close out a title-winning campaign from the front of the pack.

Context and stakes

In the league, Sassuolo sit 9th with 17 points from 20 games, a goal difference of -14 and a fragile recent run of DWLDL. Roma arrive as the benchmark side in Serie A Women: 1st place, 49 points, a +20 goal difference and just a single defeat across 20 league fixtures, with form listed as WWWWD.

For Sassuolo, every point is precious. Their margin for error is small given just 4 wins all season and only 3 home goals scored in 10 league outings. Roma, by contrast, are managing the pressure of being hunted; they have not lost away from home in the league since their solitary away defeat, and their 8 wins from 10 on the road underline why they are favourites again here.

Sassuolo W: structure, struggles and slim margins

Across all phases, Sassuolo’s season profile is stark. They have played 20 league matches, winning 4, drawing 5 and losing 11. The attacking numbers are particularly worrying: only 16 goals scored (0.8 per game on average), with an extremely low output at Stadio Enzo Ricci — 3 goals in 10 home matches, averaging 0.3 per game.

Defensively, they concede 1.5 goals per game overall (30 against), split between 1.2 per game at home and 1.8 away. That suggests a slightly more solid, if still vulnerable, home block. Six clean sheets (four at home) show that when their defensive structure clicks, they can shut opponents out, but the flip side is brutal: they have failed to score in 9 of 20 league games, including 7 of 10 at home.

Tactically, Sassuolo’s flexibility has not yet translated into consistent results. Their most-used shape is a 3-4-1-2 (5 matches), with experiments in 4-3-3, 4-1-3-2 and 4-1-4-1. That spread hints at a coach still searching for the right balance between defensive security and attacking threat.

The “biggest wins” data gives a clue to their ideal scenario: a tight 1-0 at home and a 0-3 away win. They are most comfortable when they can keep games low-scoring and nick a single goal. Against a high-scoring Roma side, that likely means a compact mid-to-low block, a back three or four staying narrow, and a heavy reliance on transitions.

Key to any attacking hope is Lana Clelland. The Scottish forward is Sassuolo’s standout contributor in the league with 3 goals and 1 assist from 14 appearances. Her shot profile (19 attempts, 12 on target) is efficient, and she has produced 9 key passes from a relatively modest 112 total passes, underlining her dual role as finisher and creator. Clelland’s duels (48 total, 21 won) and 11 fouls drawn suggest she is often the focal point of direct play, tasked with holding the ball up and winning free-kicks in advanced areas.

Sassuolo’s penalty record in the league is clean — 2 taken, 2 scored, 0 missed — but they lack a high-volume penalty specialist in the data provided. With margins so fine, any set-piece or spot-kick could be decisive, yet they cannot rely on such situations materialising regularly against a disciplined Roma defence.

Roma W: champions’ control and attacking depth

Roma’s numbers across all phases are those of a side in control. Fifteen wins, four draws and just one defeat from 20 league games reflect both consistency and resilience. They score 39 goals (2.0 per game) and concede 19 (1.0 per game). Away from home, they are particularly efficient: 8 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss, with 18 scored and 11 conceded.

Their biggest away win in the league, 1-3, fits the pattern of a side comfortable imposing themselves on opponents’ grounds. A longest winning streak of four games and 10 clean sheets overall (five away) underline their ability to manage different game states — either by overpowering weaker sides or closing games down once ahead. Crucially, Roma have not failed to score in any league match this season.

Formationally, Roma are stable: 4-3-3 is their base, used in 8 games, with 4-1-4-1 and 4-4-2 as occasional alternatives. That stability supports a well-drilled pressing and possession structure, allowing their midfielders and wide forwards to dominate territory and chance creation.

Manuela Giugliano is the headline figure in the data. From midfield, she has 8 league goals and 2 assists in 19 appearances, with a strong rating of 7.62. Her shot volume (29 total, 15 on target) is high for a midfielder, and 19 key passes from 396 total passes show a player who both initiates and finishes attacks. Her passing accuracy (68%) is respectable given the risk profile of her play, and her 3 successful dribbles from 6 attempts point to selective but effective ball-carrying.

Giugliano is also Roma’s main penalty taker in the data: 3 scored, 0 missed. Combined with Roma’s overall team penalty record of 4 from 4 with no misses, it gives them a reliable edge in high-pressure moments. Discipline-wise, Roma do carry some risk — one red card in the 16-30 minute window this season — but their yellow-card distribution suggests controlled aggression spread across the match rather than late-game chaos.

Head-to-head: Roma dominance with one Sassuolo resistance

The last five competitive meetings (league and cups, no friendlies) are heavily tilted towards Roma:

18 January 2026, Serie A Women, Stadio Tre Fontane (Rome): Roma W 2-1 Sassuolo W – Roma win.
14 September 2025, Serie A Cup Women group stage, Stadio Tre Fontane (Rome): Roma W 3-0 Sassuolo W – Roma win.
5 March 2025, Coppa Italia Women semi-final, Stadio Tre Fontane (Roma): Roma W 3-0 Sassuolo W – Roma win.
15 February 2025, Coppa Italia Women semi-final, Stadio Enzo Ricci (Sassuolo): Sassuolo W 1-3 Roma W – Roma win.
24 November 2024, Serie A Women, Stadio Enzo Ricci (Sassuolo): Sassuolo W 1-1 Roma W – draw.

Across these five, Roma have 4 wins, Sassuolo have 0, with 1 draw. At Stadio Enzo Ricci specifically, Roma have a 3-1 win and a 1-1 draw in this sequence, reinforcing their confidence on this ground.

Tactical keys

For Sassuolo:

Defensive compactness: With only 3 home goals scored all season, they are unlikely to win a shoot-out. Keeping the central channels tight and limiting space between the lines will be crucial.
Transition to Clelland: Quick, vertical balls into Clelland, using her ability to hold up play and draw fouls, is their most realistic route to goal.
Set-pieces: Given Roma’s superiority in open play, Sassuolo must maximise corners and free-kicks, where one well-delivered ball could offset the structural gap.

For Roma:

Midfield control through Giugliano: Expect Roma to dominate possession, with Giugliano dictating tempo and taking up advanced positions to shoot from the edge of the box or slip passes into the front line.
Wide overloads in 4-3-3: Against a side that often shifts between back three and back four, Roma’s wingers and overlapping full-backs can stretch Sassuolo horizontally, creating shooting lanes for late-arriving midfielders.
Game management: With a strong away record and 10 clean sheets overall, Roma are adept at scoring first and then managing risk, something they will look to repeat against a low-scoring opponent.

The verdict

All available data points towards Roma W as strong favourites. They have the better league position, superior form, more potent attack, tighter defence, and a dominant recent head-to-head record. Sassuolo’s home struggles — just 3 goals in 10 league matches — collide with Roma’s relentless scoring and unbeaten away run in terms of goals scored in every game.

Sassuolo’s route to a result likely requires a near-perfect defensive performance and clinical finishing from rare chances, particularly through Lana Clelland. Roma, with Manuela Giugliano leading a well-oiled 4-3-3, have multiple paths to victory and the statistical weight to back them.

On balance, Roma should have enough control and firepower to extend their lead at the top, while Sassuolo will be aiming to turn Stadio Enzo Ricci into a fortress for one afternoon and disrupt the champions-elect.