Analysis The numbers behind the result
Fiorentina clinical in transition despite Sassuolo's possession edge
Fiorentina's 4-2 victory was deserved, outperforming Sassuolo on expected goals (2.55 vs 0.9) despite having just 42% possession. The away side converted half of their six shots on target, with Alieu Njie (44', assist) and Mateo Pellegrino (45+2') turning the game before halftime after Armand Lauriente's opener (25'). Sassuolo's 58% possession and 496 accurate passes yielded only two shots on target – both Lauriente goals – as Fiorentina blocked four shots and restricted them to 0.23 xG per chance.
The decisive period came early in the second half, with Njie completing his goal-assist double (50') before Franco Mastantuono (79') and Víctor Valdepeñas (90+3') capitalized on counterattacks. Fiorentina generated 1.5 more xG from outside the box (five shots at 0.3 xG each) than Sassuolo managed from their five shots inside the area. The key stat: Fiorentina's 15 total shots created 2.8x more xG than Sassuolo's seven, underlining their superior shot quality in transition.