Cremonese host Como this Sunday evening at the Zini for the final round of the Serie A season. The stakes could not be more different for the two sides. Marco Giampaolo’s Cremonese side are fighting for their survival in the top flight, sitting in 18th place and needing a result here to keep their hopes of staying up alive.
Conversely, Cesc Fàbregas arrives with his Como side comfortably settled in 5th place. Having already secured European qualification, the visitors are effectively playing for pride in this season finale, while the hosts are approaching this as the most important match of their campaign.
Cremonese Form & Analysis
Cremonese head into this final day with a glimmer of hope after picking up a vital 1-0 win away at Udinese last time out. Jamie Vardy struck the winner inside the opening ten minutes, providing a massive boost to the squad’s morale. While their home record has been a struggle this term, managing only three wins at the Zini, they have shown enough grit recently to suggest they will throw everything at this.
Giampaolo has been vocal about the gravity of the situation, urging his players to treat this as an all-in effort. They have gone two games unbeaten, and having kept a clean sheet against Udinese, the defensive organisation will be key. They will need to replicate that intensity to overcome a high-flying Como side that has little pressure on their shoulders.
Como Form & Analysis
Como have enjoyed a stellar campaign and arrive in excellent form. They are currently four games unbeaten and managed a 1-0 victory over Parma in their final home match to celebrate their European qualification with the fans. Fàbregas has built a side that is difficult to break down, conceding just 28 goals all season.
However, there is a possibility of some rotation or managed minutes for the visitors now that their primary objectives are met. Nico Paz is an injury concern after picking up a knee contusion, and with no further matches of significance in the next ten days, the squad might play with slightly less defensive urgency than they have shown throughout the season.
## Head-to-Head
The history between these two sides suggests we are in for an open encounter. In their last seven meetings, both teams have managed to score in six of them. Matches between these clubs have frequently produced goals, with five of the last seven fixtures ending with more than 2.5 goals in total.
We Predict: Both Teams To Score
Given the desperation of the home side to force a result and the fact that Como, while defensively sound, may be slightly less focused after achieving their European dream, there is a strong chance for both teams to find the net. Cremonese must attack to survive, which should leave gaps for a talented Como outfit to exploit. The market odds for both teams to score are currently 1.75, which looks like a fair reflection of the game state.
We predict a 1-2 scoreline in favour of Como, though the most important outcome is that both sides contribute to the score sheet.
