Serie A Preview: Cremonese vs Inter – Team News, Lineups & Prediction | OneFootball

Stadio Giovanni Zini is the venue as bottom-half Cremonese take on Serie A pacesetters Inter in only their third top-flight meeting this century. The Nerazzurri thrashed the newcomers 4-1 in October and will be out to complete their third consecutive league double over La Cremo.

Despite sitting only four places beneath the top half of the standings, Cremonese’s Serie A status is still in jeopardy. Indeed, Davide Nicola’s charges boast a six-point lead over 18th-placed Fiorentina, largely thanks to their dreadful form in recent months.

Cremonese’s last league win dates back to the start of December when they beat Lecce 2-0 here. However, they have since gone eight consecutive Serie A games without winning (D3, L5), including a narrow 1-0 defeat at Sassuolo last time out. That result marked their fifth consecutive scoring blank on the road.

In stark contrast, Inter head into proceedings in high spirits after beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in midweek UEFA Champions League action. Despite pulling off their first ‘big game’ win under Cristian Chivu, the San Siro giants have missed out on a top-eight finish and will continue their European journey in the playoffs.

Chivu’s men have now won three of their last four competitive matches via multi-goal margins, with that Pyrrhic victory at Signal Iduna Park marking their first clean sheet in three games. Therefore, Inter will take the field in a buoyant mood, looking to extend their five-point lead over second-placed Milan.

Match Preview

Cremonese

Cremonese’s offensive shortcomings came to the fore during last weekend’s loss at the Mapei Stadium, as they’ve now failed to find the net in ten Serie A outings this season. Furthermore, they’re enduring the longest ongoing winless run in the division (8), amassing the fewest points (3) and goals (2) in that sequence.

Given Cremonese’s embarrassing away form, the impending home return might feel like a relief for Nicola’s side. However, the hosts have won just one of their last nine Serie A fixtures at the Giovanni Zini (D5, L3), failing to score more than once on seven occasions, including a scoreless draw against relegation-threatened Hellas Verona a fortnight ago.

La Cremo must avoid another slow start if they’re to stage an upset here. Unable to fight back, Cremonese have failed to win any of their ten Serie A games when falling behind this season (D1, L9). Inter’s visit promises to add to Cremonese’s misery, as they’ve lost their last seven home clashes against the Nerazzurri.

Inter

In addition to their dominant run at this stadium, Inter boast a formidable 82.4% win percentage in Serie A meetings with Cremonese at any venue (W14, D2, L1). That’s their highest such figure against any team that they have faced more than ten times in Italy’s top flight, underscoring their status as odds-on favorites.

Momentum is firmly on Inter’s side here, with nine wins from their last ten matches across all competitions (L1) setting them up perfectly for this road trip. Leaving the home comforts of the San Siro shouldn’t faze Inter much, given that they’ve won their last six away games in Serie A, including three in a row without conceding.

Facing a team stranded in the bottom half of the table can only add to Inter’s optimism, as they’ve won all 11 encounters against such opposition this season. It’s also hard to put it past Inter to get off to a flying start, knowing that they’ve netted a league-high eight opening goals inside 15 minutes so far.

Team News

Cremonese will be missing the likes of Michele Collocolo, Warren Bondo, and Martin Payero due to injuries. Meanwhile, starting fullback Tommaso Barbieri must serve a suspension, with Giuseppe Pezzella expected to take his place. Winter signing Youssef Maleh is also likely to find himself in the starting eleven.

As for Inter, star midfielders Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella have joined long-term absentee Denzel Dumfries in the pits. Out-of-sorts Italian ace Davide Frattesi could therefore return to the starting XI for only the second time during this Serie A season. Brazilian wingback Carlos Augusto is also on the sidelines.

Cremonese vs Inter Potential Starting Lineups

Cremonese (4-4-2): Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Bianchetti; Zerbin, Maleh, Grassi, Vandeputte, Pezzella; Bonazzoli, Vardy.

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Frattesi, Zielinski, Sucic, Dimarco; Martinez, Esposito.

Cremonese vs Inter Prediction

Cremonese fans can already see the writing on the wall, with all signs pointing to a straightforward win for the visitors. Inter must deal with a brutal fixture schedule in the coming weeks, and taking all three points here feels non-negotiable.