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Cremonese
Serie A | Gameweek 24
Feb 28, 2023 at 5.30pm UK
Stadio Giovanni Zini
Roma logo

Cremonese
2 - 1
Roma

Tsadjout (17'), Ciofani (83' pen.)
Ferrari (12'), Bianchetti (52'), Sernicola (58')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Spinazzola (71')
El Shaarawy (74'), Ibanez (81')

Preview: Cremonese vs. Roma - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Serie A clash between Cremonese and Roma, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

After back-to-back wins at home, Roma take to the road on Tuesday, when they meet Serie A's bottom club Cremonese at Stadio Giovanni Zini.

Having kept up the pace in their pursuit of a top-four finish and secured a place in the Europa League's last 16, the Giallorossi now tackle a winless home side that seem destined for a quick return to Serie B.


Match preview

Paulo Dybala in action for Roma on October 6, 2022© Reuters

With the opening leg in Austria having ended 1-0 in favour of RB Salzburg, when Roma filed out at Stadio Olimpico on Thursday they needed to turn the tie around if their Europa League journey was not to be halted at the first knockout stage.

Goals in the first half from Andrea Belotti - who has yet to find the net in Serie A since joining from Torino - and attacking talisman Paulo Dybala proved enough to secure safe passage from the playoff round, and Jose Mourinho's men were subsequently drawn against Real Sociedad in the last 16.

Four days earlier, Roma had taken care of business against Serie A strugglers Hellas Verona, again keeping a clean sheet; edging to victory courtesy of Ola Solbakken's first goal for the club, scored on the brink of half time.

They have now won 11 league matches by a 1-0 scoreline under Mourinho - including one in August's reverse fixture against Cremonese - and since the start of last season only Barcelona and Real Sociedad have racked up more throughout Europe's top five leagues.

While, in the coming months, last year's Europa Conference League winners will have one eye on replicating that feat in the continent's second-tier competition, their main aim will surely be to cement a top-four finish amid stiff competition from several other contenders.

Form certainly suggests that the Giallorossi should have little problem in continuing that quest with a win on Tuesday evening, but their most recent encounter with Cremonese, in the Coppa Italia, brought a shock 2-1 loss at the Olimpico.

Davide Ballardini, now in charge of Genoa, pictured in January 2018© Reuters

Soon after his appointment to the top job at Stadio Zini, Cremonese coach Davide Ballardini engineered a second cup upset in quick succession by leading his side to victory over Roma, but he has yet to get them over the line for a first Serie A win since promotion.

While the Grigiorossi can look forward to a Coppa Italia semi-final against Fiorentina, having also eliminated league leaders Napoli on the road to the final four, they are enduring a humbling streak without success in Italy's top flight.

Last week's 2-2 draw with Torino - in which they came from behind thanks to strikes from Frank Tsadjout and Emanuele Valeri before conceding a 79th-minute equaliser - means Cremonese have equalled the longest winless run ever recorded in Serie A: 30 matches, along with Ancona.

That miserable sequence stretches back to when they last reached the top tier over 20 years ago, but if anything their league fortunes have declined even more sharply since the start of 2023.

The Lombardy club have picked up just two points from eight games since the turn of the year - during that time, only Hoffenheim have earned fewer across the top five European leagues - and with the gap between them and safety into double figures, they are relying on a miracle to avoid demotion.

Cremonese Serie A form:


Cremonese form (all competitions):


Roma Serie A form:


Roma form (all competitions):



Team News

Chris Smalling in action for Roma on November 3, 2022© Reuters

As Juventus will visit Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, and Roma have been involved in an intense European tie over the past two weeks, Jose Mourinho could make some changes to his starting lineup on Tuesday. At a minimum, one switch is required in defence, with Chris Smalling sidelined by suspension and Marash Kumbulla standing ready as his replacement.

Meanwhile, Georginio Wijnaldum should start in central midfield, and Stephan El Shaarawy might come in so Paulo Dybala can be rested before meeting his former club. Up front, Andrea Belotti competes for selection with Tammy Abraham, who must wear a mask to protect an eye injury sustained against Verona.

While Belotti is on his longest run without a goal in Serie A (22 games, 701 minutes), Abraham has failed to score in his last six Serie A matches against promoted sides, having netted four in his first four.

Cremonese's Cyriel Dessers has been involved in three of just five home goals scored by the hosts this season, but he could be edged out again by Frank Tsadjout and David Okereke, who are set to be paired up front. Ex-Roma forward Felix Afena-Gyan should join Dessers on the bench.

With Johan Vasquez returning from suspension and most probably slotting back into the Grigiorossi's defence, a lack of fitness for Vlad Chiriches will not be as keenly felt by Davide Ballardini.

Cremonese possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Ferrari, Bianchetti, Vasquez; Sernicola, Benassi, Pickel, Meite, Valeri; Tsadjout, Okereke

Roma possible starting lineup:
Patricio; Mancini, Kumbulla, Ibanez; Karsdorp, Wijnaldum, Cristante, Zalewski; Pellegrini, El Shaarawy; Belotti


SM words green background

We say: Cremonese 1-2 Roma

Despite becoming victims of Cremonese's giant-killing cup run earlier this month, Roma are not likely to suffer the same fate again in midweek. An abundance of attacking talent complements the visitors' steely defensive resolve under Mourinho, so they will prolong their hosts' long wait for a league win.


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


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Written by
Jonathan O'Shea

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Game History

How you voted: Cremonese vs Roma

Cremonese
12.1%
Draw
5.1%
Roma
82.7%
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1SassuoloSassuolo17124138142440
2Pisa17114232161637
3SpeziaSpezia1797127101734
4Cesena177462724325
5Cremonese167362319424
6BariBari175932016424
7Juve StabiaJuve Stabia165741719-222
8Palermo165651613321
9CatanzaroCatanzaro1631122017320
10Modena174852121020
11Brescia165472023-319
12Mantova174761822-419
13Carrarese165471419-519
14Reggiana174671619-318
15Sampdoria174672127-618
16Salernitana164571824-617
17Cosenza CalcioCosenza174851719-216
18FrosinoneFrosinone173771323-1016
19SudtirolSudtirol1742111731-1414
20Cittadella163491029-1913


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