Mattia Liberali Doubt for Como vs Sassuolo Clash

Como’s attacking options, already stretched thin, look set to take another hit.

Mattia Liberali is highly unlikely to feature in Saturday’s home game against Sassuolo, with the young Italian dealing with a muscle problem picked up in midweek. Gazzetta reports that the 20-year-old felt discomfort while warming up during Como’s 4-1 win over Manchester United in the Champions League on Tuesday, forcing the staff to keep him on the bench as a precaution.

He never got on the pitch. Not because of tactics. Because his body said no.

Medical tests are scheduled for today, but early indications are not encouraging. According to the same report, Liberali is expected to miss out on the squad for the Sassuolo match, a frustrating setback just as he had begun to make his mark in Serie A.

The timing could hardly be worse for Como.

Liberali scored his first Serie A goal only last week, in Como’s 3-1 away win over Fiorentina at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, finding the net on his first start for the club. It was the kind of performance that hinted at a bigger role, a young attacker stepping confidently into the spotlight.

Now, that momentum stalls.

Como are already light up front. Moise Kean is out. Assane Diao is also sidelined. With two forwards unavailable, Liberali had looked like a natural candidate to carry more of the attacking burden in the coming weeks.

Instead, the coaching staff may have to reshuffle again, searching for solutions in a squad that has already been tested early in the season.

The backdrop to all this is a team punching above its weight. The Azzurri sit fifth in the Serie A table on 14 points, with four wins, two draws and just one defeat. It’s a start that has turned heads and raised expectations, both inside and outside the club.

Sassuolo’s visit now poses a sharper question: can Como keep their surge going while key attacking pieces drop out of the frame?