Serie A surprise package Sassuolo have secured the UEFA licence which permits them to compete in next season’s Europa League.

The Neroverdi, who finished sixth in the table, above Italian giants Milan and Lazio, could play continental football for the first time after submitting compliant paperwork to the governing body.

A statement on sassuolocalcio.it said the Emilia-Romagna club had met the economic, legal and infrastructural constraints required to hold a licence to play in Europe during the 2016-17 campaign.

Sassuolo do, however, need Milan to lose to Juventus in Saturday’s Coppa Italia final to qualify for the Europa League.

Under the management of Eusebio Di Francesco, Sassuolo reached the top flight in 2013 and twice avoided relegation before achieving their best ever domestic finish this term.

The team, from a small industrial town near Modena, play their home games at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia as Sassuolo’s Stadio Enzo Ricci can only hold 4,000 fans.

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