Cremonese bow out of this season's Serie A with Saturday's encounter against Salernitana at Stadio Giovanni Zini.
The Cremona outfit have already been relegated from the top flight and have nothing to play for but pride, whereas the visitors could still rise in the table.
Match preview
© Reuters
Cremonese fate was sealed before last week's 3-2 defeat by Lazio, where maximum points would not have kept them in the top division.
It was the third consecutive loss for Davide Ballardini's troops, who found victories hard to come by on their return to the big time.
Only four wins from 37 games screams relegation form, even if the New Year brought about four league victories after a barren first half of the season.
La Cremo gained promotion after a second-place finish in Serie B but could not muster enough in Serie A to keep their top-flight status.
Three of Cremonese's wins have been on their turf, and Ballardini and his team could sign off with maximum points against a side that will not be compliant opponents.
© Reuters
As for Salernitana, the improvement under Paulo Sousa was crucial in avoiding relegation after the decline in performances and results under Davide Nicola.
Aside from a 2-0 loss against Lazio in Sousa's first game, the Granata have lost one game in Serie A since mid-February — a 2-1 reverse at Empoli at the start of May — underscoring their upswing.
Most of those games were stalemates, even if the ties against AC Milan, Inter Milan, Napoli and Roma were admirable.
William Troost-Ekong's late winning goal completed last week's 3-2 win over Udinese, and Salernitana could end the season positively.
While the Granata could end level on points with Sassuolo, their inferior head-to-head record means Sousa's 15th-placed team cannot end higher than 14th in 2022-23.
Team News
© Reuters
Cyriel Dessers has missed five Serie A games, and the Nigerian is not expected to play on Saturday.
Ballardini could be without Luka Lochoshvili at centre-back after the Georgian's withdrawal against Lazio.
Sousa had to withdraw Domagoj Bradaric 18 minutes after the latter's introduction against Udinese, and the wide midfielder may miss out in round 38.
Flavius Daniliuc and Norbert Gyomber return from suspension for Salernitana, but Federico Fazio, Diego Valencia and Boulaye Dia are sidelined.
Cremonese possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Sernicola, Ferrari, Bianchetti, Valeri; Castagnetti, Meite; Pickel, Galdames, Okereke; Tsadjout
Salernitana possible starting lineup:
Ochoa; Daniliuc, Gyomber, Pirola; Kastanos, Bohinen, Coulibaly, Mazzocchi; Candreva, Botheim; Piatek
We say: Cremonese 1-1 Salernitana
All but one of Salernitana's away games under Sousa have been draws, with 1-1 being the most popular outcome.
Thus, another low-scoring stalemate could be on the cards at Stadio Giovanni Zini.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
