Preview: Cremonese vs. Hellas Verona - prediction, team news, lineups

Winless in six Serie A games, Cremonese host cellar-dwelling Hellas Verona at Stadio Giovanni Zini on Monday.

Both teams are struggling for results heading into the gameweek 21 fixture, with the hosts third-bottom and Verona bottom-placed in the form table across the last five rounds.

Match preview

When Cremonese secured back-to-back wins over Bologna (3-1) and Lecce (2-0) to start December, Davide Nicola would have been forgiven for thinking the tide had turned after three losses in a row.

However, La Cremo’s joy has been short-lived, with the promoted side losing four of the last six league fixtures, recently shipping five in a 5-0 hammering by Juventus in Turin.

Particularly striking during the ongoing sequence of results is the Grigiorossi’s struggle to find the back of the net with consistency, failing to score in five of the recent six matches.

That undeniably highlights where the team’s main issues lie, and the 13th-placed hosts hope for some good fortune in the attacking third this time as they aim to secure their first victory in over a month.

Failure to do so may not be fatal in the short term, with Nicola’s team eight points clear of the relegation zone, but they could start to look over their shoulder if the poor results continue.

Aiming to inflict Cremonese’s fourth home loss in six matches in Cremona, Verona head into Monday’s fixture also in the middle of a dismal period.

Defeating Europe-chasing Atalanta (3-1) and securing maximum points in a relegation six-pointer against Fiorentina (2-1) before Christmas offered hope to the Mastiffs.

However, those results have been false dawns for the club from Veneto, with four defeats and one draw following after December 25.

They have failed to score in three of the five games and have conceded three goals in three of those four defeats, pointing to issues at both ends of the pitch for Paolo Zanetti’s team.

Indeed, only three teams have scored fewer than Verona’s 17 goals — Lecce (13), Parma (14) and Pisa — and the Mastini’s 34 conceded surpasses everyone in the division, all but validating their broader challenges in both boxes.

Travelling to Cremona, where they are winless in their previous two visits, should see a contest played on equal terms, given the problems affecting both teams.

Cremonese Serie A form:

Hellas Verona Serie A form:

Team News

Verona will be without the suspended Giuseppe Pezzella, who misses out on Monday after accumulating yellow cards, while Jeremy Sarmiento and Martin Payero are missing due to injury.

While Federico Bonazzoli and Jamie Vardy have scored five league goals apiece, the former has had more joy on the road, with Vardy scoring three times in Cremona.

The visitors have more injury worries ahead of Monday’s fixture: Tomas Suslov (knee), Martin Frese (muscle), Grigoris Kastanos (leg), Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro (ankle) and Armel Bella-Kotchap are sidelined, while Unai Nunez is missing due to suspension.

Gift Orban and Giovane have both recorded seven goal contributions — four more than third-placed Antoine Bernede — and both players could start up top for the Mastiffs.

Six of Orban’s contributions have been goals, with 50% of those strikes coming away from home, pointing to his ability to make an impact on unfamiliar territory.

Cremonese possible starting lineup:

Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Bianchetti; Zerbin, Grassi, Vandeputte, Bondo, Mussolini; Vardy, Bonazzoli

Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:

Montipo; Slotsager, Nelsson, Valentini; Niasse, Serdar, Gagliardini, Bernede, Bradaric; Giovane, Orban

We say: Cremonese 1-1 Hellas Verona

Considering the recent goal droughts plaguing Cremonese and Verona, a cagey and low-scoring encounter is the most probable outcome as each side prioritises defensive solidity over attacking risk.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.