Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi has been one of the most consistent performers in Serie A over the last few years. And that’s not to mention his importance to Roberto Mancini and the Italian national team during the Euro 2020 win last summer.
Part of the Sassuolo youth sector since 2010, the forward – now 27 – was at one point on the books at Juventus under the (now defunct) co-ownership system but never played a minute for the Bianconeri.
In truth, he’s been a major part of the success that created the modern-day Sassuolo fairytale. As an 18-year-old, he was named Serie B Player of the Year when Eusebio Di Francesco’s side earned promotion to the Italian top flight for the first time ever.
That season he fired in 11 goals, and the step up to Serie A didn’t prove difficult for him either. In the club’s first ever top-flight campaign, Berardi was once again the hero as he scored 16 goals and provided 6 assists for a squad that also contained Simone Zaza and – eventually – Nicola Sansone.
It was an attacking trident that garnered much attention as, to the surprise of many, Sassuolo continued to go from strength to strength and even qualified for the Europa League for the 2016/17 season.
Berardi was linked with top-six clubs in Serie A every summer, but seemed determined to remain in Reggio Emilia. To many, that was an honourable move, and to stay with the side that had first given him his chance showed a loyalty that not many modern-day footballers possess.
But, as the years ticked by and more high-profile moves were declined, it seemed like there was something behind this reluctance to further his career at a bigger club.
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