Domenico Berardi, Sassuolo's 32-year-old forward, scored in the Neroverdi's 2-1 home victory against Torino on 30 August, giving Alberto Aquilani's side their first win of the 2026-27 Serie A campaign and earning a match rating of 8.20 in the process.
The result matters beyond three points. Sassuolo entered the weekend sitting 12th after a draw-free opening to the season — one win, one defeat, three goals scored, three conceded — and a second consecutive dropped result would have begun to apply pressure on a squad still finding its shape under Aquilani. Instead, Berardi's contribution helped settle that question early.
Cristian Volpato was also on the scoresheet, and the combination of the two forwards proved enough to see off Torino, who remain without a point through two rounds. For Berardi, the goal in his only appearance of the season so far is a clean statement of intent: one match, one goal, a rating that places him among the best performers of the opening weekend.
At 32, Berardi carries the weight of expectation that comes with being Sassuolo's most recognisable attacking presence. His AI overall score of 72 out of 100 reflects a player whose value is still considered substantial, and the early-season return suggests his output has not diminished. A single match is too small a sample to draw conclusions about his physical condition or consistency over a long campaign, but the evidence from this fixture points in the right direction.
Aquilani's Sassuolo now sit 12th on three points, level with several sides in a congested early table. The next fixtures will determine whether this victory represents a platform or an isolated result. Berardi, for his part, has given his coach the clearest possible answer about where the goals will come from.