The bottom of the table meets the European dream when bottom-placed Pisa welcomes sixth-placed Como to the Arena Garibaldi on Tuesday afternoon for the 19th matchday of Serie A. Alberto Gilardino’s team is deep in the relegation battle with 12 points and a negative goal difference, sharing this meager haul with Fiorentina, who are also struggling, while Como are on 30 points, just three behind Roma and four ahead of Bologna, right in the thick of the race for international places. The recent history between these two teams seems to be an additional burden for Pisa, as they have yet to win against Como in this series of league duels, with Como winning the last encounter in Serie B 3-1, even though Pisa has scored in each of these games. Gilardino’s team is coming off a 1-1 draw in Genoa, while Como is traveling as a strong home team that is undefeated in its own stadium in Serie A, with five wins and three draws, and most recently a 1-0 win over Udinese, which further strengthens the visitors’ role as clear favorites. Pisa are missing creative options such as Cuadrado and Stengs, so a lot will depend on the running and presence of Leris, Marin and the strike duo of Moreo and Meister. Como, on the other hand, will have to do without Diao, Addai, Goldaniga, and Morata, but Cesc Fàbregas can make changes within his well-organized, up-and-coming team, and the betting markets see his team as clear away favorites in this context.
- Venue: Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani, Pisa
- Date and time: January 6, 2026, 3:00 p.m.
- Competition: Serie A (matchday 19)
The betting markets have Como at odds of around 1.7, which clearly points to a Como win, but our tips are looking for value by combining this away win with a bet that Como will narrowly win the second half in a rather cautious game with under 2.5 goals.
Pisa form & record check
Pisa are in fragile form in Serie A. Bottom of the table with 12 points, they are level with Fiorentina, who are just above them, so the situation is serious but not yet hopeless. Their last five league games have brought three defeats and two draws, with no wins after 90 minutes. All of these games took place in the league, so there are no cup competitions to distort the picture in Serie A. The recent results tell a clear story. The 1-1 away draw against Genoa and the 2-2 draw in Cagliari were valuable points that probably exceeded external expectations. At home, however, they suffered defeats against Juventus (0-2) and Parma (0-1), as well as a 1-0 defeat in Lecce, which once again highlighted their weak offensive performance. If the result in Genoa felt like a bonus, then the point dropped against Parma at home felt like a missed opportunity. At Marassi, the 1-1 draw suggested a slightly more stable performance. After conceding an early goal, Pisa pushed higher up the pitch, with Leris first hitting the post and then equalizing from a set piece by Angori, although the goal required VAR confirmation. Semper saved a dangerous header in the second half, while Gilardino once again relied on the hard-working strike duo of Moreo and Meister, later bringing on Nzola for some late energy. The traveling fans rewarded this effort with applause. Statistically, the league record so far has been characterized by low goal scoring and high risk. Four of the last five games have had fewer than 2.5 goals, four of them had no more than one goal in the first half, and Pisa has not won any of the second halves in that period. The absences of Cuadrado, Stengs, Akinsanmiro, and Lusuardi are likely to further limit creativity and flexibility, making any defensive gaps even more significant.
According to our prediction, Pisa will once again stick to a 3-5-2 system built around Semper in goal, with a back three of Canestrelli, Albiol, and Bonfanti and wing-backs Léris and Angori. In midfield, Touré, Aebischer, and Højholt will provide balance, while Moreo and Meister will form the double strike force, as they did in the draw in Genoa. This formation should only be seen as a probable starting lineup, as late changes are possible, especially given the absences of Lusuardi, Akinsanmiro, Cuadrado, and Stengs, with Akinsanmiro and Stengs being among the more valuable players in the squad. Against this backdrop, Marin, Tramoni, Nzola, and Esteves appear to be obvious alternatives from the bench, meaning that the exact starting lineup may still change slightly before kickoff.
Como Form & Record Check
Como travels to Pisa in really good Serie A form. The team is in sixth place with 30 points and a goal difference of plus 11, just three points behind Roma and four ahead of Bologna, underlining their status as a rising contender for European places. In the 2025 calendar year, they have collected 58 league points, a pace that explains their high position. Cesc Fàbregas repeatedly emphasizes mentality and urges his team to consistently implement his ideas on the pitch. Their recent record in Serie A has been a mixture of highs and learning moments. In their last five league games, Como has recorded three wins and two defeats, meaning there have been no draws. A 2-0 home win against Sassuolo was followed by a heavy 4-0 defeat at Inter and a narrow 1-0 defeat in Rome, before the team responded with a convincing 3-0 win in Lecce. The recent 1-0 win against Udinese confirmed both the strengths and limitations of this team. They remain unbeaten at the Stadio Sinigaglia, with five wins and three draws and only three goals conceded, and against Udinese they controlled long periods, created clear chances through Perrone and Douvikas, and finally scored from the penalty spot, converted by Da Cunha. Fàbregas himself subsequently highlighted the lack of clinical finishing, which leaves games open for longer than he would like. Statistically, there is a clear pattern, as each of the last five league games has ended with less than two goals in the first half, and Como has not drawn a single game during that period. The team often improves as the game progresses, aided by the creativity of Paz and Da Cunha, while the injuries to Diao, Addai, and Goldaniga slightly reduce the depth of the squad. Interestingly, the market could therefore bring an additional offensive option into play.
Como are likely to stick with their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, which we predict here, with Butez in goal and a back four of Van der Brempt, Ramón, Kempf, and Moreno. Caqueret and Perrone are expected to play as double sixes in front of the defense, with Kühn and Rodríguez on the wings, Da Cunha moving between the lines after his decisive penalty against Udinese, and Douvikas set as the central target man in attack. In attack, the absences of Diao, Addai, and Morata, who are all out with muscle problems, limit the alternatives, so Kühn and Rodríguez are likely to keep their places and Cerri remains the main option to replace Douvikas. In defense, Goldaniga is still recovering from a heel problem, so Ramón and Kempf are considered the most likely center-back pairing. Again, this is a probable lineup and not yet an official confirmation.
Pisa – Como Head-to-Head Comparison & Statistics
In the last five meetings between 2022 and 2024, Como has had a slight advantage with one win and four draws, while Pisa is still waiting for its first victory. All of these games were decided in regular time, without extra time or penalty shootouts, which suggests a typical league balance rather than knockout drama in this duel. The goal statistics are also remarkably consistent. At least two goals were scored in all five games and both teams scored every time, with a total of 16 goals, nine for Como and seven for Pisa. That averages out to just over three goals per game, so historically this duel has tended to be more open and offensive and less cautious and low-scoring. For a long time, the teams were virtually inseparable. From 2022 to 2023, four matches in a row ended in draws, twice 2-2 and twice 1-1. It was not until 2024 that Como broke this streak with a 3-1 home win, and this game also fit the pattern, with both sides creating and allowing numerous chances from open play. Home advantage has not been decisive so far. Pisa’s two home games during this period, in 2022 and 2023, both ended in draws, suggesting that the home crowd has not made a noticeable difference so far. Como has been slightly more efficient at home, with one win and two draws, so the recent past points to a slight home advantage. There is also a noticeable recurring pattern after the break. In four of the five games, at least two goals were scored in the second half, and Pisa scored every time after the break. It is possible that both teams become more daring as fatigue sets in, often turning a balanced first half into a much more open finale.
