Davide Ballardini acknowledges Sassuolo wrote history by doing the ‘double’ against Inter and this can push them on to secure Serie A safety.
The Neroverdi have written their place in the history books too, as no matter what happens, they are the only team to have beaten Champions of Italy Inter not just once, but twice in Serie A this season.
They had also won 2-1 at San Siro on September 27, although their coach at the time was Alessio Dionisi.
Ballardini had struggled to turn things around since taking over at the start of March, overseeing one win, three draws and four defeats.
“It is a huge achievement, because for a team like ours to beat Inter is an extraordinary event, especially considering the current situation,” Ballardini told Sky Sport Italia.
“Everyone, from strikers to defenders, showed great focus and concentration. We can do better on the ball, have more confidence and control situations better, but we worked as a team unit against the Champions of Italy and that is what Sassuolo must be.”
Sassuolo write history
They had also changed to a 3-5-2 formation to mirror the Inter system and that helped to neutralise their opponents.
“Systems only mean so much, but clearly when they attack with so many players, you need to cover those spaces. The important thing we saw today was the spirit and sense of sacrifice.”
Although they remain in the bottom two, this unexpected victory does give Sassuolo hope of potentially avoiding relegation.
“Sassuolo are fortunate to have players who really care, perhaps too much at some moments. The club supports us, so these are the ingredients we need to survive in Serie A.
“If we are the team I saw this evening, with players who sent strong signals, then we can do it. Sassuolo were not accustomed to being in such a tough fight for survival.”
Sassuolo have their place in history, becoming only the third team to take six out of six points off the Champions of Italy.
The others were Torino in 1994-95 and Sampdoria in 2012-13, both against Juventus.