Palermo vs US Sassuolo Calcio preview - Maresca wary of Sassuolo threat

Palermo midfielder Enzo Maresca is confident his side can make home advantage count when Sassuolo come to town on Saturday.

The Sicilian outfit has not lost at home since a 4-0 defeat to Lazio on September 29.

Since then, Giuseppe Iachini's men have taken 10 points of a possible 12 at the Renzo Barbera stadium.

"Sassuolo will find a determined Palermo," Maresca told Gazzetta dello Sport. "We will have our fans behind us.

"We want to do well in our last home game of the year in order to give our supporters something to celebrate.

"In our recent games we have done well and we want to continue on the same path."

Palermo held Torino to a 2-2 draw in Turin last time out to extend their unbeaten run to six games.

However, Maresca expects a stern test against a Sassuolo side that is in the midst of an eight-match unbeaten run in Serie A.

Sassuolo held Roma to a 2-2 draw last weekend to end the Giallorossi's perfect run at the Stadio Olimpico.

The outcome in Rome lifted Sassuolo to 10th in the standings, one place and one point above Palermo.

"Sassuolo are having a good season and we expect a difficult match," Maresca said. "They play an attacking style of football and they will come here determined to win.

"But we must continue on our path in order to defend our Serie A status as soon as possible."

Fortunately for Palermo, Sassuolo, coached by Eusebio Di Francesco, make the journey to Sicily without three key players.

Defenders Federico Peluso and Sime Vrsaljko as well as striker Domenico Berardi are all suspended this weekend.

The Emilia-Romagna club are nevertheless optimistic they can keep up their good run of form.

"We played a great game against Roma but now our focus is on taking three points at Palermo," Sassuolo midfieler Saphir Taider said. "We want to continue to proveb to everyone that we can do well against any side."