On Tuesday evening, Catanzaro and Cremonese face off in the Serie B playoff semi-finals at Stadio Nicola Ceravolo. Both teams are vying for a spot in Italy's top flight, making this clash highly anticipated.
Catanzaro, having finished fifth in the league, claimed home advantage for the first leg. Meanwhile, Cremonese, who finished fourth, aim to leverage their recent strong form to advance to the final.
Current Form
Catanzaro
Catanzaro narrowly escaped elimination in the previous playoff round against Brescia.
Despite trailing 2-1 in stoppage time, Alfredo Donnarumma's equalizer pushed the match into extra time, where they ultimately triumphed 4-2.
However, Catanzaro's recent form is concerning, with just one win in their last six matches.
Cremonese
Cremonese, on the other hand, concluded their regular season strongly. After beating Cittadella 3-0, they secured two wins and a draw in their final three fixtures.
The Grigiorossi, under Giovanni Stroppa’s guidance, are favourites to progress, especially with the second leg being played at their home ground.
Team News
Catanzaro
Catanzaro will be without Mario Situm, who joins Andrea Ghion, Luca D'Andrea, and Giuseppe Ambrosino on the injury list.
Vincenzo Vivarini's side will likely field Stefano Scognamillo at right-back, with Dimitris Sounas and Jari Vandeputte on the flanks.
In attack, Tommaso Biasci will partner with top scorer Pietro Iemmello, who has 15 league goals this season and netted twice in the playoff eliminator.
Cremonese
Cremonese will miss Michele Collocolo and Felix Afena-Gyan, both of whom are training separately and not expected to travel.
Giovanni Stroppa may opt for Massimo Coda or veteran Daniel Ciofani as the lone striker, supported by Franco Vasquez in an advanced midfield role.
The defence will likely be anchored by Bianchetti, Marrone, and Lochoshvili.
Head-to-Head
The last two encounters between these teams ended in 0-0 draws, reflecting their evenly matched nature.
However, Cremonese's superior finish in the standings and recent form give them a slight edge heading into this playoff.
Prediction
Given the stakes and current form, a tightly contested match is expected. Cremonese's defensive solidity and experience might see them edge through over two legs.
Our prediction for the first leg is a 1-1 draw, setting up a decisive second leg in Lombardy.
