Cremonese vs Fiorentina: A Relegation Battle in Serie A

On Monday night, Stadio Zini will host a pivotal encounter as Cremonese and Fiorentina lock horns in a Serie A relegation six-pointer. Separated by a mere point in the standings, this match is critical for both sides as they fight to avoid the drop to Serie B.

Fiorentina’s Fight for Survival

Despite showing glimpses of improvement after a challenging start to the season, Fiorentina remains firmly in the relegation battle. Demotion is still a very real threat. Recent results, including a 3-0 defeat to Udinese and a home draw with Parma, have left them just outside the drop zone, relying heavily on the struggles of teams like Cremonese.

Cremonese’s Struggles

Paolo Vanoli’s side has only lost one of their last five league matches, but a concerning trend has emerged: they’ve failed to score in their last two games and average less than a goal per game on the road this season. Their form is a major concern as they desperately need points.

Conference League Distraction?

Before their crucial league match, Fiorentina continued their Conference League campaign, facing Rakow Czestochowa. After a hard-fought playoff victory against Jagiellonia Bialystok, they hosted another Polish side in the first leg of their last-16 tie. Despite being Conference League runners-up twice in the past three years, Fiorentina has struggled in Europe this season. The match against Rakow was a rollercoaster, with Fiorentina falling behind before a quick equalizer from Cher Ndour and a late penalty conversion by Albert Gudmundsson secured a 2-1 victory. A quarter-final clash with either Crystal Palace or AEK Larnaca awaits, but domestic survival remains the priority.

Head-to-Head Record

Cremonese has a poor record against Fiorentina in Serie A, having never tasted victory in 13 previous meetings at Italy’s elite level. They’ve lost seven and drawn six, making Monday’s match a chance to rewrite history. More importantly, a win is essential for Cremonese to overtake Fiorentina in the relegation standings and halt their downward spiral.

Recent Form & Key Stats

• Cremonese Serie A form: L L D L L L
• Fiorentina Serie A form: L D W W L D
• Fiorentina form (all competitions): W W L L D W

Davide Nicola’s Cremonese has collected the fewest points in the last 14 matchdays – a mere four – and their last win came at the end of 2025. A paltry four goals scored this calendar year paints a grim picture, and they’ve failed to score in each of their last four home games – a Serie A record low.

Team News

Vanoli is expected to rotate his squad ahead of the trip to Poland. Nicolo Fagioli, Dodo, and captain David de Gea are set to return after being benched against Rakow, while Moise Kean may miss out due to a shin problem. Luca Lezzerini, Tariq Lamptey, and Manor Solomon are injured, but Marin Pongracic is available after a UEFA suspension.

For Cremonese, Jamie Vardy is ruled out with an injury sustained against Lecce. Federico Bonazzoli will lead the attack, having ended a 13-game drought last week. Giuseppe Pezzella is suspended, and Federico Baschirotto, Michele Collocolo, and Faris Moumbagna are injured, but Filippo Terracciano is back from suspension.

Possible Lineups

• Cremonese: Audero; Terracciano, Bianchetti, Luperto; Barbieri, Thorsby, Maleh, Vandeputte, Zerbin; Bonazzoli, Djuric
• Fiorentina: De Gea; Dodo, Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens; Brescianini, Fagioli, Mandragora; Parisi, Piccoli, Gudmundsson

Expect a tense and fiercely contested match at Stadio Zini. Defeat for either side could be devastating in the relegation battle. While Fiorentina has shown signs of improvement, Cremonese is struggling. A victory for Fiorentina would lift them four points clear of the drop zone.

For more in-depth analysis and predictions, visit WhoScored.com.