Opposition insight for Cremonese-Milan: Form, injuries, predicted XI and more

Cremonese are the next opponents for AC Milan and having failed to win since the start of December, Davide Nicola’s side will be looking to replicate the reverse fixture. 

Although the unbeaten run came to an end against Parma last weekend, the opening round of the season still stings for Milan. Despite the Rossoneri controlling most of that game, Cremonese made the most of a couple of chances and clinched all three points to stun San Siro.

Now, as Massimiliano Allegri highlighted during his presser, they will have their chance at revenge, even if that doesn’t mean that it will be easy. Cremonese may have struggled massively lately but the Rossoneri also don’t have a great record at their ground.

Opposition insight on Cremonese

➤ Manager: Davide Nicola
➤ Form (all comps): L-L-L-D-L (most recent)
➤ Top scorer (Serie A): Federico Bonazzoli and Jamie Vardy – 5
➤ Most assists (Serie A): Jari Vandeputte – 4
➤ Injuries & suspensions: Baschirotto, Collocolo, Floriani.

After what was a cracking start to the season by Nicola and his Cremonese, including the win against Milan in the opening round, things have taken a turn for the worse. In fact, they haven’t won a game since last year, December 7 to be precise (!).

They haven’t exactly made up for that with many draws either, which has put them in a really difficult spot in the relegation battle. Lecce, the third-placed team from the bottom, have the same amount of points (24) and have been in a much better form lately (so there is some momentum).

On the bright side, the reason they did so well at the start of the season is still at Nicola’s disposal, namely their squad. In fact, they even strengthened it during the January window with the additions of Sebastiano Luperto and Morten Thorsby, two Serie A players.

It would be easy – perhaps even lazy – to name-drop Jamie Vardy on this front, but the truth is that the likes of Emil Audero, Federico Baschirotto, Giuseppe Pezzella, Alberto Grassi, and Federico Bonazzoli come to mind when you think about why they should be able to stay up.

Put shortly, there is far too much Serie A experience there (not to mention Nicola’s history with avoiding relegation) there for Cremonese to struggle this much. As Milan fans, however, we know too well that player material doesn’t matter if the system is fundamentally broken.

It hasn’t exactly helped that Baschirotto has sustained a muscle injury, which forced him to be sidelined against Roma and he won’t return tomorrow either. The fact that he had played the full 90 minutes in every league game before the injury says a lot about the magnitude of his absence.

Milan fans should also keep an extra eye on Filippo Terracciano and Warren Bondo, who are both on loan from the Rossoneri. It seems like they will be in the starting eleven tomorrow too, with especially the former playing a pretty important role so far this season.

Predicted Cremonese XI (3-5-2): Audero; Terracciano, Luperto, Bianchetti; Barbieri, Bondo, Thorsby, Maleh, Pezzella; Bonazzoli, Djuric.

Predicted bench: Silvestri, Nava, Folino, Ceccherini, Pavesi, Faye, Zerbin, Payero, Vandeputte, Grassi, Sanabria, Moumbagna, Vardy.