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

Continuing their quest for a top-four finish, Roma will welcome Serie A strugglers Cremonese to Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.

Following last week’s near-miss in Naples, the Giallorossi have posted just one win from their last five matches, while Cremo last tasted success in December and are sliding towards the trapdoor.

Match preview

Sitting one point above fifth-placed Juventus after 25 matches, with Lombardy clubs Como and Atalanta not far behind, Roma face a fight to secure their long-awaited return to the Champions League.

Despite Donyell Malen scoring twice for the second straight game, Napoli’s late fightback forced them to settle for a 2-2 draw in last week’s Derby del Sole.

After an eventful visit to Stadio Maradona, the Giallorossi have now claimed a mere two points from six clashes with Serie A’s current top five, which could prove costly in the final analysis.

They have also won just one of their last four league fixtures, having previously recorded three consecutive victories, so Gian Piero Gasperini will be keen to get back on track this weekend.

His well-drilled team have conceded just six goals across a dozen home matches - the best record in Serie A - and they tend to be ruthless against the league’s lesser lights.

Home and away, Roma have won all four games against promoted sides by an aggregate score of 7-1; over the past few years, they have only failed to win one of the last 15.

So, history will be on their side against Cremonese, who they have also beaten six times from eight previous league meetings in Rome, while averaging three goals per game.

Following November’s 3-1 defeat at Stadio Zini, Cremonese have lost five of the clubs’ last six league contests, though they memorably beat Roma twice in February 2023 - first in the Coppa Italia, then Serie A.

The Grigiorossi were eventually relegated that season, and their comeback campaign may be heading in a similar direction.

Since posting back-to-back wins in early December, the Lombardy club have collected only four points from 11 matches while scoring three goals - both the worst records in Italy’s top tier.

Last week’s 0-0 draw with Genoa was their ninth failure to score across those fixtures, while Davide Nicola’s side are not exactly watertight at the back: Cremonese have faced more shots on target than any other team in the current campaign.

Having plummeted down the standings, last term’s Serie B playoff winners are embroiled in a fight to preserve their top-flight status, and they could drop into the bottom three if results go against them this weekend.

Known for his ability to keep clubs afloat, Nicola is clearly struggling to turn this situation around, and he now heads to the capital with a prior record of eight defeats and four draws against Gasperini.

Roma Serie A form:

W W D L W D

Roma form (all competitions):

W D D L W D

Cremonese Serie A form:

L D L L L D

Team News

Roma cannot afford to slip up ahead of next week’s crucial clash with Juventus, so Gasperini will select his strongest available team despite facing modest opposition.

However, Brazilian wing-back Wesley sprained an ankle against Napoli and Paulo Dybala is still sidelined by a knee problem, so they will join Stephan El Shaarawy, Evan Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk in a busy treatment room at Trigoria.

In better news for the hosts, Mario Hermoso and key midfielder Manu Kone should both return from minor injuries - it remains to be seen if they can start.

While January signing Malen averages one Serie A strike every 78 minutes, Cremonese’s front pair are experiencing a long drought.

Federico Bonazzoli has failed to find the net from 18 attempts this year, while Jamie Vardy has also been stuck on five league goals for some time; meanwhile, Vardy’s fellow veteran Milan Djuric made little impact when handed a rare chance last week.

Belgian midfielder Jari Vandeputte was back on the bench against Genoa, but Nicola will still be without Michele Collocolo, Mikayil Faye and Warren Bondo due to injury.

Roma possible starting lineup:

Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Ghilardi; Celik, Cristante, Pisilli, Tsimikas; Soule, Pellegrini; Malen

Cremonese possible starting lineup:

Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Luperto; Barbieri, Thorsby, Payero, Maleh, Pezzella; Bonazzoli, Vardy