Key Facts
- Verona (20th) and Pisa (19th) are tied on 14 points after 23 matchdays; three points could reduce the gap to Fiorentina and avoid relegation.
- Verona has not won in five league games (one draw, four defeats) and usually concedes goals; without a half-time lead, the pressure on Montipò and the defense increases.
- Pisa responded to only one win since November 7 with a change of coach to Hiljemark; they have been winless in their last five games and have always conceded goals, with 80% of those games ending with over 2.5 goals.
- Verona are missing Sarr (suspended) as an offensive option, as well as Suslov, Akpa Akpro, and Bella Kotchap; Pisa will have to do without goalkeeper Semper and center back Denoon.
- The last three direct duels ended in draws (0-0, 1-1, 0:0) with only two goals in 270 minutes; the flow of the game was often interrupted and chances were few and far between.
- The betting market gives Verona a slight advantage at home with odds of 2.3, but BTTS and Over 2.5 are supported by Pisa’s 100% goal-against rate and Verona’s vulnerable defense.
On Friday evening, the Bentegodi feels less like a stage and more like a test bench, as bottom-of-the-table Verona and 19th-placed Pisa face each other in a relegation battle. Both have 14 points after 23 matchdays, with Pisa ahead only on goal difference and still three points behind Fiorentina above them. At Verona, the era of Paolo Sammarco begins after the dismissal of Paolo Zanetti, while Pisa prepares for the arrival of Oscar Hiljemark. In sporting terms, the duel comes at a time when both teams have shown too little first division quality. Verona and Pisa are winless in five league games and both suffered defeats last weekend, Verona 0-4 in Cagliari and Pisa 1-3 against Sassuolo. This game also has a few additional layers in terms of personnel. Verona will be without Sarr due to suspension, while Suslov and Bella Kotchap remain sidelined, although new signing Edmundsson at least provides an additional defensive option. Pisa will be without Semper and Denoon, and there is a minor distraction off the pitch with Lorran’s social media reset.
- Venue: Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi, Verona
- Date and time: February 6, 2026, 8:45 p.m.
- Competition: Serie A (matchday 24)
This relegation battle is marked by upheaval: Verona parted ways with Zanetti after a 4-0 defeat in Cagliari – and just such a change could sharpen the senses at the Bentegodi against a Pisa side that is caught between Gilardino’s departure and Hiljemark’s arrival, and is also missing Semper. The market rates “Verona to win” at 2.3 and also considers a draw a distinct possibility, but I’m still leaning towards Verona.
Verona form & record check
Verona is in real trouble in round 24, bottom of Serie A with 14 points, and the mood has changed significantly since the 0-4 defeat in Cagliari. That defeat triggered the club’s decision to sack Zanetti and makes the week seem like a fresh start, but also like frantic damage control. With Pisa level on points just above them, it’s as direct a relegation battle as it gets. Their recent league record shows one draw and four defeats from five games, with no wins and a worrying habit of conceding goals in most games. The 3-1 home defeat to Udinese and the 3-2 defeat to Bologna were not total collapses, but they showed the same flaw: Verona struggles to control key moments once the game opens up. Even the 0-0 draw at Cremonese felt more like damage control than control. Discipline and availability are now a thing of the past. Sarr’s red card in Cagliari hurts because it takes away an offensive option in a game where margins are tight, and the injury list limits the solutions, with Suslov and Akpa Akpro out and Bella Kotchap still unavailable.
One pattern is particularly striking: Verona rarely takes the lead early on, and they are not ahead at halftime in this phase, which increases the pressure on the defense and on Montipò.
With Zanetti unavailable, Verona’s selection appears more open than usual, but a 3-5-2 remains the safest prediction. Montipò should retain his place behind a back three of Slotsager, Nelsson, and Valentini, who will first secure the penalty area and then play quickly forward. Lirola and Frese seem the most likely wingbacks, with the task of providing width and covering defensively. In midfield, Al Musrati is expected to take on the anchor role, with Gagliardini and Bernede acting as runners on both sides to support the pressing and secure second balls. Up front, Orban and Sarr appear to be the most plausible duo on paper, with Orban attacking spaces and Sarr providing presence on crosses. Injuries play a role here, as Bella Kotchap, Belghali, Akpa Akpro, and Suslov are expected to be out.
Pisa Form & Record Check
Pisa travels to Verona as the 19th-placed team with 14 points, level on points with the hosts and already three points behind Fiorentina directly above them. The club has responded to the downward trend, which has yielded only one win since November 7, by sacking Gilardino and bringing in Oscar Hiljemark. The timing underscores the situation: this is not a rebuilding project, but a rescue mission. The last five league games tell the story: a 1-3 home defeat to Sassuolo, a heavy 6-2 loss at Inter, then draws against Atalanta (1-1) and Udinese (2-2), before Como pulled away with a 3-0 win. Against Sassuolo, there were moments: Scuffet kept them in the game early on, Aebischer converted well, and Léris came close, but Caracciolo’s own goal and sloppy transitions punished them. Statistically, the pattern is worrying and remarkably consistent. Pisa has not won any of these five games and has conceded goals every time, even when they scored themselves. Each of the last five has ended with over 1.5 goals, and 80% have ended with over 2.5, suggesting games that open up late. With Semper and Denoon out of action, Hiljemark could rely on Albiol’s calmness and Marin’s legs, but the margin for error is minimal.
With Hiljemark only just back in contention and the personnel not yet finalized, Pisa’s starting lineup is more of a projection, but a 3-4-2-1 seems most likely. Scuffet should continue in goal, with Semper out with knee inflammation. Canestrelli, Caracciolo, and Bozhinov are expected to line up in a back three, with Touré and Angori providing width as fullbacks.
Verona – Pisa Head-to-Head Comparison & Statistics
The last three encounters have all ended in draws: 0-0 in October 2025, 1-1 in 2017, and another 0-0 in 2016. That’s a series of three draws with just two goals in 270 minutes. Neither team took the lead in this short stretch, suggesting closely matched game plans. Low scoring is the prevailing theme. All three games ended with under 2.5 goals, and both the first and second halves remained under 1.5. Interestingly, Verona did not concede a goal before the break in this sequence, while Pisa did not concede a goal after the break. The only time there were goals in 2017, one was scored in each half. The 0-0 draw in October 2025 also kept the number of clean sheets high. Over these three games, both teams have recorded two clean sheets each, and neither has scored a winning goal in the second half. It seems that duels between them are decided by individual moments rather than sustained dominance, with the flow of the game often interrupted and chances few and far between. Patience is likely to be more important than pace.
