Tarik Muharemović has been an important figure in Sassuolo’s defensive department for their 2025/2026 campaign.
After earning promotion to Serie A, Sassuolo’s clear objective was to avoid relegation; they are on the right track with 23 points from 20 games.
The Bosnian has started in 17 of those games, helping the side to six wins and five draws, and has also managed three clean sheets.
At the young age of 22, the left-footed centre-back has a long way to go.
However, he has been showing signs of stability in this squad under Fabio Grosso.
Through this Tarik Muharemović scout report, we aim to identify strengths and weaknesses for Tarik Muharemović’s profile.
Tarik Muharemović Style Of Play & Strengths
Attacking Phase
Muhamerović prefers playing as a left centre-back in a back four or a back three.
His style of play allows him to naturally drift towards the left when his team is in possession.
This is usually the case when the pivot drops between the centre-backs during the build-up phase.
Tarik Muhamerović pushes out to the left half-space.
This allows the full-backs to push high and wide in the attacking phase.
It is a common occurrence for him to take a few seconds on the ball before releasing it.
This sometimes helps him attract opponents and create space for a teammate.
The opponent winger presses Tarik Muhamerović, cutting the pass vertically forward.
This opens some space for the pivot to receive the ball and carry it forward.
This is an effective way to find progressions from the defensive third.
He has a 93% passing accuracy inside his own half this season.
This hints that he is careful with the passes he plays in build-up.
In situations where he is offered more time on the ball without pressure, he can pick out vertical passes to his teammates between the lines.
He breaks the first line of opponent pressure to find the pivot, who can find progression from the midfield third.
In cases where the option to find a wide player is not open, he plays an in-to-out pass for his side to utilise the wide space.
Muhamerović gets on the ball from a regain in possession; the opposition defensive structure is staggered.
There is space in the left wide channel.
However, the passing lane to the left-back is not open.
The Bosnian finds a midfielder between the lines for a third-man pass into the left-back’s path.
Sassuolo ended up progressing to the mid-third.
The 22-year-old is not the most dynamic player, but he can make little movements to create space for his teammates.
Upon receiving a pass from the central zone, he moves the ball to the left-back.
After playing the pass, he immediately moves up the pitch, dragging his direct opponent with him.
This opens space for a midfielder to peel out and receive from the left-back.
This simple rotation helps his side in shifting play by effectively losing markers.
Modern centre-backs are expected to offer mobility in situations like these for positional play.
Apart from off-the-ball movement, dribbling is also a way to create space for either oneself or teammates.
Tarik Muharemović is seen receiving the ball in the left wide channel.
He is immediately under pressure from an opponent.
The Bosnian manoeuvres the ball first towards the inside and then outside; this action drags the opponent with him.
When Tarik Muharemović lays it off to his teammate moving towards the inside, the opponent gets dragged in the opposite direction.
This gives his teammate enough time to exploit the space inside.
This is a similar manoeuvre to what happens in a 2-v-1 overload during a full-back overlapping situation; the defender gets attracted to the winger carrying the ball inside, leaving the wide space open for the full-back’s overlap.
Once the opponent commits to defending the inside space, the winger lays it off to the full-back to exploit the wide space.
Muharemović is used to exploring the wide channel when the pivot drops between the centre-backs, followed by another centre-midfielder sitting on top of the back three for rest defence.
There are situations where Sassuolo attack down the wide channel and are met with equal numbers from the opposition.
This requires Grosso’s side to create overloads.
Here is an example of Sassuolo executing a wide overload.
A 4-v-3 overload helps them keep possession.
Since they do not have a short inside pass available in this situation, they are forced to play it backwards and attempt to shift play.
Tarik Muharemović’s passing accuracy has a lower success rate in the attacking half (68%).
However, similar to his actions inside his own half, the Bosnian tends to play line-breaking passes when allowed enough time on the ball.
Tarik Muharemović plays a vertical pass into the attacking third.
A teammate receives the ball between the opponent’s lines of midfield and defence.
He is also seen making movements after these passes when offered enough space inside the opponent’s structure.
These types of actions align with the requirements of a modern centre-back.
Being a fairly tall defender, he poses some degree of aerial threat in attacking set-pieces.
He has scored twice and assisted twice so far in the 2025/2026 season.
This goal from a direct corner-kick not only highlights his aerial prowess, but also his movement.
His starting position is right next to the opposition goalkeeper; he makes a sudden burst of pace to lose his marker.
This results in him getting on the end of a free header.
This trait also translates to the defensive phase.
Defensive Phase
Tarik Muharemović is a player who relies on positional discipline and anticipation to carry out his defensive actions.
He does fairly well in terms of defensive headers.
He has a 65% success rate in aerial duels.
Tarik Muharemović positions himself in the right area to make the first contact with the cross.
His reading of the game helps him make these interceptions in the air in the wide channel as well.
In a moment when his left-back is out of position, the Bosnian is proactive in stepping out and wins the first ball.
He has an average of 7.3 clearances per game, which is a testament to his aerial dominance.
Apart from the aerial duels, he has showcased his ability to step into midfield and win loose balls from overhit passes or heavy touches from the opponent.
Sassuolo’s back four shape is visible as Tarik Muharemović steps up to make an interception from a loose touch.
Controlled aggression in defending moments and negative transition is an invaluable trait that all big teams look for.
Actions like these hint that the 22-year-old might be on the way to building the trait.
Defending the area around the box is crucial for centre-backs; even an extra yard of unattended space can give the opponent the chance to take a shot.
An example of Tarik Muharemović stepping up in a different area of the pitch.
The opposition attacker enters the zone-14 with the ball; Tarik Muharemović steps across to force him sideways, getting close enough for a ground duel.
Apart from the central channel, the Bosnian has displayed successful defensive actions in the half-space.
The opponent plays a chipped through pass in the half-space, with another one making a run for it.
Tarik Muharemović reads the danger, gets to the pass before the opponent, and makes a clearance.
He uses his physical prowess to defend in 1-v-1 situations.
The Bosnian closes down an opponent dribbling down the wide channel and blocks the cross.
He has also demonstrated anticipation to step up to cut out crosses while being positioned inside the box.
Here, the opposition winger puts in a low cross into the box for an arriving teammate.
Tarik Muharemović reads it and steps up timely; the Bosnian successfully makes an interception and clears the danger.
Tarik Muharemović Weaknesses
Tarik Muharemović is a young centre-back showing potential to develop into a mature, composed leader.
He has a few areas he needs to work on.
There are multiple situations where the Bosnian avoids playing a forward pass even when it is open.
He hesitates with decision-making when under pressure.
In the situation above, he is pressed by an opponent curving his run, cutting the pass to the left side.
Although a vertical pass opens up in the central channel, he opts to play it to the goalkeeper.
Tarik Muharemović usually opts out of carrying the ball forward, especially in the central zone.
When granted space in the wide areas, he takes a few touches forward, then plays it either sideways or backwards.
In the example above, he carries the ball forward for a few yards; however, he ends up playing it back to shift play.
Modern ball-playing centre-backs are expected to drive with the ball to attract pressure; this opens up space in a different area in the vicinity for a teammate.
Tarik Muharemović is not the quickest of defenders, which leaves him vulnerable in 1-v-1s during negative transition against quick opponents.
An opponent makes an underlap in front of Tarik Muharemović.
However, his quick burst of pace is too much to handle for the 22-year-old.
The opponent ends up taking a touch past him and putting a cross in.
Due to the struggle with pace, the Bosnian sometimes tends to offer his opponents space, which they end up exploiting.
This is a play from the opposition that ended up in a goal.
Tarik Muharemović does not stay tight enough with his direct opponent.
With the space he is allowed, the attacker turns and provides an assist.
To be a leader in defence, the youngster has to pick up on organisation.
In this situation, Sassuolo are attempting to defend an attack from their left side.
The left-back being out of position allows a line-breaking pass to one of the opponents.
The opponents eventually get the ball to an advanced position and play a cut-back; the Bosnian cannot get there in time.
A situation like this can be avoided by organising the players in the back line beforehand.
Conclusion
Tarik Muharemović is a tall, physical, and no-nonsense centre-back.
He keeps things pragmatic by being prompt with his interceptions, ground and aerial duels, and positioning.
He possesses the ability to break lines with his passes when given enough space and time.
He also carries his aerial prowess into attacking set-pieces, where he gets on the end of crosses to either guide them into the net or set a teammate up.
Although he has the potential to develop into a fine centre-back, his weaknesses include hesitation to play forward under pressure and a lack of driving forward.
Due to being beaten on pace in 1-v-1s, especially in negative transition, he sometimes allows space to opponents in the defensive third, which ends up hurting his side.
Defensive organisation is another area he needs to get better at, which will help him become a defensive leader.
