Preview: Cremonese vs Lazio - prediction, team news, lineups

Four points adrift with four games remaining, relegation-threatened Cremonese will seek an unlikely win over Lazio when the pair meet at Stadio Zini on Monday.

While the hosts are fighting for Serie A survival, their visitors are marooned in mid-table and have one eye on an upcoming cup final.

Match preview

Facing an immediate return to Italy's second tier, Cremonese are running out of time to halt their slide back down to Serie B, having escaped via the playoffs last season.

Though they have one game in hand on 17th-placed Lecce, who won in Pisa on Friday night, the Grigiorossi now lie four points below their main relegation rivals.

Thumped 4-0 by Napoli last time out, Cremo have been in free-fall for some time, having won just one of their last 20 league matches - losing 14 and drawing five during that period.

Although three of their final four fixtures are at home, the Lombardy club have accrued just 13 points from a possible 48 on offer at Stadio Zini so far.

Furthermore, they are yet to win there in 2026, and a tally of four home goals tells its own tale: after both started the campaign sharply, Jamie Vardy has been beset by injuries, while Federico Bonazzoli continues to misfire.

Now, they must end that trend or face demotion. Davide Nicola was still in charge when Cremo drew 0-0 with Lazio in December's reverse fixture, but current coach Marco Giampaolo may need maximum points on Monday.

After booking their place in the Coppa Italia final with a dramatic penalty shootout success, Lazio returned to Serie A duty last week, when they welcomed Udinese to Stadio Olimpico.

Still level at 1-1 entering the final 10 minutes, Maurizio Sarri's men then led, trailed, and fought back to equalise, with Daniel Maldini's late strike salvaging a point.

A thrilling 3-3 draw left them in eighth place, six points adrift of Atalanta, who occupy the last possible European spot.

That relies on Inter Milan winning the cup, but Lazio will have other ideas, particularly as lifting silverware on home turf could rescue another sub-par campaign.

At war with their fans and in some financial duress, the Biancocelesti may still miss out on Europe for a second straight season, but they have shown signs of improvement since winter turned to spring.

In addition to beating Atalanta in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, Sarri's side have won four of their last seven Serie A matches, which is as many wins as they had produced from the previous 17.

Most notably, they recently ended Napoli's long unbeaten streak at Stadio Maradona - though Lazio have a very curious record on the road.

Before setting off for Cremona, they have failed to score in a league-high 10 away games this term, but a tally of nine clean sheets is only matched by imperious Inter.

Cremonese Serie A form:

L W L L D L

Lazio Serie A form:

W W D L W D

Lazio form (all competitions):

W D L W W D

Team News

Cremonese have welcomed midfield pair Martin Thorsby and Michele Collocolo back into full training, but Faris Moumbagna is set to miss out once again.

The hosts may also be without Vardy, who continues to struggle with a muscular injury, so Milan Djuric, Antonio Sanabria and David Okereke will vie to join Bonazzoli up front.

The latter remains Cremo's leading marksman, despite failing to score from open play since the start of March; he has also played Lazio 12 times in Serie A without being involved in a single goal.

The visitors' front line has hardly fared any better, as wingers Matteo Cancellieri, Gustav Isaksen and Pedro are currently joint-top league scorers on four.

Including his latest strike against Udinese, the latter has netted 17 Serie A goals as a substitute since moving to Italy in 2020 - no player has managed more during that time.

As Cancellieri must serve a suspension on Monday evening, Isaksen could be recalled to Lazio's right wing.

It remains to be seen if captain Mattia Zaccagni can recover from a bruised thigh, while first and third choice goalkeepers Ivan Provedel and Alessio Furlanetto are both ruled out.

Cremonese possible starting lineup:

Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Luperto, Pezzella; Barbieri, Bondo, Maleh, Vandeputte; Bonazzoli, Sanabria

Lazio possible starting lineup:

Motta; Lazzari, Romagnoli, Provstgaard, Pellegrini; Basic, Patric, Taylor; Isaksen, Maldini, Noslin