Important Facts
- Cremonese is 13th with 22 points, but sits between Sassuolo (-1) and Parma (equal on points); a win against bottom-of-the-table Verona (13 points) would give them some breathing space.
- Cremonese have picked up just 2 points from their last five league games and were thrashed 5-0 by Juventus; their attack has stalled since the break, with Vardy and Bonazzoli often waiting in vain for passes.
- Verona has been winless in five Serie A games, conceding goals in each match; Orban scored against Bologna, but without Bella Kotchap, Frese, Belghali, and Suslov, the team lacks stability.
- The direct duels have been close recently: two league draws in a row, including a 0-0 draw in September 2025; four of the last five games have had fewer than 3.5 goals, with the second halves mostly low-scoring.
- On the betting market, Cremonese is listed at 2.6 and the draw at 2.9; Verona’s away weakness, including conceding goals in every recent appearance, supports the home value and under 2.5/BTTS: No.
In the relegation battle, a Monday night game can quickly become a test of morale. Cremonese welcomes Verona to the Stadio Giovanni Zini on Monday, January 19, for the 21st matchday of Serie A – a duel with clear significance in the battle to stay out of the relegation zone. Davide Nicola’s team is in 13th place in the table with 22 points, one point behind Sassuolo and level on points with Parma behind them; a win would therefore provide some breathing space. Paolo Zanetti travels with Verona in 20th place, 13 points, one point behind Pisa, and this pairing has ended in a draw twice in a row in the league recently. Neither team is coming into this game on the back of a win: Cremonese were beaten 5-0 by Juventus and have picked up just two points from their last five league games. Nicola is suspended, Pezzella is out after a suspension, and Payero is ill. Verona lost 3-2 to Bologna, Orban scored, and they are thin at the back without Bella Kotchap, Frese, and Belghali, while Suslov is still out.
- Venue: Stadio Giovanni Zini, Cremona
- Date and time: January 19, 2026, 6:30 p.m.
- Competition: Serie A (matchday 21)
With a split betting market, with Cremonese priced at 2.6 and the draw at 2.9, I see the value more on the home side: Verona currently looks quite fragile away from home, has conceded at least one goal in each of its recent appearances and has already conceded a total of 34 league goals. Cremonese’s 5-0 defeat at Juventus and Nicolas’ suspension on the sidelines are increasing the pressure, while their offense has stalled after the break.
Cremonese Form & Record Check
Cremonese goes into Matchday 21 in shaky form in Serie A. Just 2 points from their last 5 games means they are 13th with 22 points, which is uncomfortably close to the pack behind them. Sassuolo are only 1 point ahead, Parma are level on points directly below them, so a small run of results could quickly turn things around, but at the moment their performances seem more nervous than confident. The sequence explains a lot: the 0-0 draw at Lazio showed that Nicola can still put together a compact block, but that was followed by a 2-0 home defeat to Napoli and a narrow 1-0 win at Fiorentina, with the final pass missing in both games. The 2-2 draw against Cagliari at least showed some fight, but then Juventus exposed every weakness in a tough 5-0 win. Statistically, the trend is worrying: there has been no win in these five games, and in four of them Cremonese conceded goals, with particularly little going forward after the break. This may also have to do with rhythm, as Vardy and Bonazzoli often rely on passes that arrive too late. In addition, the selection is limited, with Payero out with the flu and both Pezzella and Nicola suspended, which could cause even more unrest at the back.
Cremonese are likely to stick to Nicolas’s usual 3-5-2 formation, with Audero behind a back three of Terracciano, Baschirotto, and Bianchetti. The wingers, Zerbin and Barbieri, will be crucial in providing width while keeping the line compact.
In midfield, Grassi is expected to set the pace alongside Bondo, with Johnsen coming in behind the ball with his runs. Up front, Vardy and Bonazzoli look like the most likely duo. The selection could be influenced by two absences, with Payero out with flu and Pezzella serving a one-match league suspension. This makes Johnsen’s role in the center more plausible, and Vandeputte or Vázquez are the obvious alternatives if Nicola wants more creativity. Because Nicola himself is also suspended, the coaching team could keep it simple and rely on Vardy’s movement and Bonazzoli’s layoffs. Okereke is another possible late option from the bench.
Verona form & record check
Verona comes to Cremona in poor league form, without a win in five Serie A games, with defeats against AC Milan 3-0, Torino 0-3, Lazio 0-1, and Bologna 2-3, plus a hard-fought 2-2 draw in Naples against Napoli. The Bologna game fitted the pattern: Orban scored early, but the defense lost control again and needed an own goal to stay in the game for long periods. In these five games, Verona conceded goals in every game and, significantly, lost four of the five second halves. Four of the last five games had over 2.5 goals, a risky profile for a team fighting for survival. They create enough to score, in Naples and also against Bologna, but their game management seems fragile, and Montipò is too often under recurring waves of pressure. This slump leaves Zanetti at the bottom of the table in 20th place with 13 points, just one behind Pisa, so even a single point counts now. The absences weigh heavily, with Suslov out long term and Bella Kotchap, Frese, and Belghali also unavailable, which takes away the necessary continuity in the center and on the wings. The draw in Naples can be encouraging, but the home defeats are piling up.
Zanetti is likely to stick with Verona’s usual 3-5-2 formation, with Montipò expected to be protected by a back three of Núñez, Nelsson, and Valentini. Oyegoke is expected to play on the right wing and Bradarić on the left, while Serdar, Al Musrati, and Bernede are the obvious choices for the central midfield trio. Up front, Orban and Sarr look like the most likely duo. Perilli would be the main alternative in goal. The system is also driven to some extent by injuries: Bella Kotchap and Frese are out with muscle problems, so the defense could rely more on Nelsson’s organization and Bradarić’s slightly deeper positioning on the left. Belghali’s ankle sprain limits the options on the right flank, making Oyegoke the obvious choice. With Suslov out long term, Bernede is expected to link the midfield with the two strikers.
Cremonese – Verona Head-to-head & statistics
Verona has the slight edge in the last five meetings, with two wins to Cremonese’s one, plus two draws. The most recent game in September 2025 ended 0-0, ending a streak in which Verona had remained unbeaten in the last three Serie A meetings. In 2023, there was a 2-0 win at home, followed by a 1-1 draw in Cremona. Cremonese’s victory dates back to 2019, a 2-1 win after extra time, while the 2022 friendly went 4-3 to Verona. The scoring patterns have mostly been controlled rather than wild: four of these five games had fewer than 3.5 goals, and four had more than 1.5, making the 0-0 draw in September 2025 a clear outlier. Interestingly, the second halves were rather quiet, with four out of five ending with fewer than 1.5 goals after the break. The one exception is the 4-3 friendly in 2022. Verona has scored in four of five games, Cremonese in three, which still keeps the gap close. Added to this is a recurring early pattern: from 2019 to the two league duels in 2023, Cremonese lost the first half three times in a row and conceded before the break each time, while Verona scored in the first half in each of those three games. The 0-0 draw in September 2025 broke this rhythm, suggesting that Cremonese has recently been more disciplined in the early stages.
