The recent history of both teams is closely linked to 1-0 results, and there are many indications that this match could also be decided by small details. On Thursday, Cremonese welcomes Cagliari to the Stadio Giovanni Zini for the 19th matchday of Serie A. Davide Nicola’s team is in 13th place in the table with 21 points, one point behind Udinese and three points ahead of Parma, and has coped well with promotion so far. Cagliari is in 15th place with 18 points, just one point ahead of Lecce, which is roughly in line with expectations for a relegation battle, but both teams are coming into the game in inconsistent form. Both are coming off 1-0 defeats, with Cremonese punished in stoppage time at Fiorentina, while Cagliari narrowly lost to Milan after a strong start. With away fans limited to ticket holders, even though there is no history of incidents between the groups, and Nicola facing his former club, there is a slightly tense atmosphere hanging over this evening in Cremona.
- Venue: Stadio Giovanni Zini, Cremona
- Date and time: January 8, 2026, 6:30 p.m.
- Competition: Serie A (Matchday 19)
The betting market considers a home win to be relatively unlikely at 2.4, but Nicola’s compact team has made the Zini a low-scoring venue, while Cagliari are traveling without Belotti, Felici, Deiola, and Folorunsho and with reduced away support, which could further weaken their inconsistent attack.
Cremonese Form & Record Check
Cremonese reach the halfway point of the season in a position that looks calm on paper but is fragile at the same time. They sit thirteenth in Serie A with 21 points and a goal difference of minus three, just one point behind Udinese and three points ahead of Parma, hovering between the described safety of mid-table and the field fighting to avoid trouble. Their recent league record shows a team that is competitive but struggles to win games: one win, one draw, and three losses from their last five games, with their only victory coming at home against Lecce. None of these games ended with more than two goals, confirming the image of a low-scoring Cremonese. The pattern becomes even clearer when the games are divided into halves. During this period, they never led at halftime and did not score before the break, while four of the five second halves also remained below 1.5 goals. In Florence, Nicola Vandeputte, Zerbin, Bonazzoli, and Vardy all came on, but the team still failed to score and were punished in stoppage time. Defensively, the picture is less negative. Two clean sheets in this run, at home against Lecce and away against Lazio, show that the structure is still working, and Cremonese rarely collapse, even against stronger opponents such as Napoli. Collocolo’s thigh injury may have prompted Nicola to adopt an even more cautious, compact midfield setup, which stabilizes the defense but limits transition play and late offensive surges. Given their promotion only this season, the overall picture continues to exceed preseason expectations, as recent national coverage has emphasized. However, there is concern that their short-term form in the league is slipping as the chasing pack closes in. If Cremonese can show a little more attacking bite in the first hour of games, their defensive foundation should be enough to keep them on course for a mid-table finish.
Cremonese are likely to stick with Nicola’s preferred 3-5-2 formation, so the predicted starting eleven sees Audero in goal, a back three of Terracciano, Baschirotto and Folino, and Barbieri and Pezzella as full-backs. In midfield, Payero, Bondo, and Vandeputte should operate centrally, while Vardy and Bonazzoli are expected to form the attacking duo tasked with stretching Cagliari vertically. This remains a prediction, not an official lineup, and Nicola may still make changes. The only notable absence is Collocolo, who is still out with a thigh muscle problem, leaving Bondo and Payero as the main candidates for the starting lineup in the center. From the bench, Grassi, Valoti, Sanabria, and Okereke stand out as natural alternatives in midfield and attack if the coach chooses other solutions.
Cagliari Form & Record Check
Cagliari come to Cremona with a mixed but not disastrous league record, seven points from their last five games and in fifteenth place with eighteen points. They have the same points tally as Parma and are only one point ahead of Lecce, so the gap to the relegation zone is minimal, even if observers continue to count Cagliari, along with Parma and Lecce, among the teams that appear to be slightly better equipped to avoid relegation. Their recent run shows a team that is competitive in almost every encounter. They beat Roma 1-0 at home, an overperformance against a Champions League contender, and won 2-1 in Turin, where many teams struggle. The 2-2 draw at home against Pisa felt like points dropped, and the defeats at Atalanta (2-1) and Milan (1-0) highlighted their limited firepower. Interestingly, Cagliari rarely lead at halftime, having failed to win the first half in their last five league games, and these periods are usually low-scoring, while they wake up after the break and have scored in the second half in four of those games. On the other hand, they have also conceded goals in four of the last five, so their control remains fragile. Pisacane’s options are limited by absences in key areas, with Deiola and Folorunsho still missing in midfield and Belotti and Felici missing in attack, while Zé Pedro has only just returned to the team after knee surgery and is not yet fully fit. Caprile now leads the goalkeeping duo, with Sherri behind him, and a partnership between Mina and Luperto in defense could provide more structure around Prati, Adopo, Palestra, and Luvumbo.
Interestingly, Cagliari are expected to stick with Pisacane’s usual 3-5-2. Our predicted starting eleven sees Caprile in goal, with Sherri now backing him up as substitute, a back three of Obert, Mina, and Luperto, and Zappa and Palestra as fullbacks. In midfield, Prati should act as cover alongside Adopo and Mazzitelli, while Kilicsoy and Esposito are likely to form the attacking duo, although Luvumbo remains a strong alternative. Significant absences continue to shape this predicted lineup. Zé Pedro has only just returned to training and is unlikely to feature, leaving Mina, Luperto, and Obert to form the central defense. Deiola and Folorunsho are out in midfield, which again points to plenty of playing time for Prati and Mazzitelli. Belotti and Felici are missing in attack, so Pavoletti and Borrelli provide depth on the bench.
Cremonese – Cagliari Head-to-Head & Statistics
In the last two meetings, both in the Coppa Italia, Cagliari has won narrow 1-0 home victories, in 2024 and 2020. In these matches, Cremonese never led, failed to score, and both games were decided after the break. Statistically, the sample size is small, but it suggests that Cagliari is better at handling these one-goal cup games. Both matches started cautiously, with the score 0-0 at halftime. All of Cagliari’s goals came in the second half, which is consistent with the data showing that 100% of the goals and decisive outcomes came after the break. Tactically, this suggests that Cremonese can keep up early in the game but struggles when Cagliari picks up the pace. Overall, the picture is clearly in Cagliari’s favor: two wins out of two, two clean sheets, and never more than one goal scored in any of the games. The cup context and Cagliari’s home advantage may have played a role, so a league game in Cremona could take a different course, especially if Cremonese finally scores a goal.
