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

Meeting for the first leg of their Serie B playoff final on Thursday evening, Cremonese and Spezia both hope to book their top-flight return at the second attempt.

Relegated together in 2023, and separated by just five points in this season's standings, the pair first clash at Stadio Zini, before reconvening in La Spezia three days later.

Match preview

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Only two teams are left standing at the end of Serie B's labyrinthine promotion playoffs, as each side that started in the preliminary rounds has now been eliminated.

Both Cremonese and Spezia earned direct access to the semis after finishing inside the top four, and having both reached a two-legged decider they will now vie to join Sassuolo and Pisa in Serie A next season.

Cremonese had to overturn a first-leg loss to secure their berth in the final, losing 2-1 down south at Juve Stabia before Sunday's 3-0 home win swept them through against 10-man opponents.

Dennis Johnsen scored in both legs for the Grigiorossi, who were pipped to promotion by Venezia this time last year and are intent on getting back to the big time.

Having finished fourth in the regular season with 61 points - five shy of fellow finalists Spezia - Giovanni Stroppa's men have just one more obstacle to overcome.

Cremo often come out on top when the sides meet, and the Lombardy club extended their unbeaten streak with a 3-2 victory at Stadio Picco earlier this month - but now the stakes are far higher.

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While they have lost four of the clubs' last five meetings in either Serie B or in Italy's top flight, Spezia did beat their final opponents to third place in the table, emphatically bouncing back from a dismal 2023-24 campaign.

Following relegation, the Aquilotti finished down in 15th last season, narrowly avoiding the relegation playoff, but they have only lost six times this term - a league-low tally alongside runaway champions Sassuolo.

In contrast to Cremonese, Luca D'Angelo's side breezed through their semi-final, winning 2-0 away to Catanzaro partly thanks to Francesco Pio Esposito's stunning free kick, then sealing the deal with Sunday's 2-1 win.

Not only do they now have home advantage for Sunday's second leg, which will be played at the Picco, but the Ligurian club also hold a vital tie-breaker in hand.

If the teams are tied after two games, Spezia's higher league finish would take them straight up to Serie A without need for either extra time or penalties - so, simply avoiding an aggregate defeat will be enough.

Team News

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While Cremonese's only injury absentee should be goalkeeper Gianluca Saro, defensive duo Matteo Bianchetti and Valentin Antov are both short of full fitness ahead of Thursday's first leg.

Giovanni Stroppa therefore has several options up front, with controversial striker Franco Vazquez - who recently served a 10-game ban for racial discrimination - battling against Dennis Johnsen and Manuel De Luca for selection up front.

The latter scored eight goals during the regular season, while Vazquez netted nine, but space must also be made for Jari Vandeputte: the Belgian winger scored in last week's semi-final second leg, after recording 13 assists in Serie B.

Undoubtedly, Spezia's main man is Inter Milan-owned Francesco Pio Esposito - brother of teammate Salvatore Esposito and Empoli's Sebastiano Esposito.

Due to sign a long-term contract renewal at Inter this summer, the teenage forward shared the Serie B golden boot with Sassuolo's Armand Lauriente, and Giuseppe Di Serio is set to join him up front.

Meanwhile, Italy Under-21s defender Nicolo Bertola joins Cremo loanee Fallou Sarr on the sidelines due to injury.

Cremonese possible starting lineup: Fulignati; Folino, Ravanelli, Ceccherini; Barbieri, Collocolo, Castagnetti, Azzi; Johnsen, De Luca, Vandeputte

Spezia possible starting lineup: Gori; Wisniewski, Hristov, Mateju; Elia, Nagy, Kouda, Cassata, Aurelio; Di Serio, F. P. Esposito

We say: Cremonese 1-1 Spezia

Cremonese only had the second tier's seventh-best home record during the league season - and they will be under pressure to take a lead across to Liguria, given Spezia only have to draw over two legs.

Boasting Serie B's best defensive record, the Aquilotti also lost just three times on the road - drawing 11 of 19 away fixtures - and they will prove too tough to beat.

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