Sassuolo took another prestigious scalp, as Armand Laurienté secured their victory over Atalanta, but the controversial Joakim Maehle red card after just 30 minutes proved decisive, followed by Luis Muriel.
La Dea went out of the Coppa Italia to Inter midweek, but were also on a run of 11 points from five rounds, scoring 17 goals in the process, missing Jose Luis Palomino and Davide Zappacosta. The Neroverdi had a disastrous run of two points from eight games ended by their shock 5-2 victory away to Milan. Andrea Pinamonti, Mert Muldur and Jeremy Toljan were injured, but deadline day signing Nadir Zortea made a debut against his former club.
Juan Musso had to be at full stretch to get his fingertips to a deflected Gregoire Defrel effort, then his gloves were stung by Matheus Henrique from the tightest of angles.
The game changed on the half-hour mark when Joakim Maehle lost the ball with a heavy touch and lunged in a bid to get it back, catching the ball first and then Berardi’s shin. It was initially a yellow card, changed to straight red following a VAR review for dangerous play, as his studs were up.
Zortea’s shot was plucked out from under the bar and Berardi curled a free kick just wide of the far post, but the deadlock was finally broken when Armand Laurienté cut inside from the left past Hans Hateboer and smashed a right-foot strike into the far bottom corner.
Atalanta had to fight back and Andrea Consigli’s gloves were stung by a ferocious Teun Koopmeiners free kick, while Mario Pasalic was not ready for the tap-in as Jeremie Boga rolled across the six-yard box.
Laurienté provided a smart through ball for debutant Nedim Bajrami, but Musso used his legs to parry the angled drive at the near post.
Duvan Zapata nodded a Boga free kick over the bar, doing the same on a corner, but Sassuolo held firm for their second consecutive victory.
It got even worse for Atalanta, as Luis Muriel was sent off deep into stoppages for dissent, so he too will be suspended against Lazio.
Sassuolo 1-0 Atalanta
Laurienté 55 (S)
Sent off: Maehle 30 (A), Muriel 95 (A)