Cremonese-Fiorentina is a match valid for the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals and is played on Wednesday at 21:00: formations, predictions, tv and streaming.
The semi-final that nobody expected, certainly one of the least predictable. Not so much for Fiorentina, who had already made it all the way to the penultimate act of the national event last year and are more accustomed to certain stages. Rather for Cremonese, the great surprise of this Coppa Italia, able to eliminate Napoli and Roma against all odds in the round of 16 and quarter-finals respectively.
For the grigiorossi this is nothing new. Already in the 1986-87 season they reached the top four in the Coppa Italia, surrendering in a Lombardy derby to Atalanta. Desolately last in the standings, today Davide Ballardini’s team have almost resigned themselves to an immediate return to Serie B and will be able to play this historic double-header with the Viola, who are undoubtedly favourites, without too many worries. Reaching the final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome – the winner will face one of Juventus or Inter – would be of considerable value for both. First of all from an economic point of view, considering that from next season also the finalist of the Coppa Italia will be involved in the ‘rich’ Italian Super Cup, scheduled in Saudi Arabia in the form of the Final Four. And then we mustn’t overlook the prestige of contesting a title in a single match against two teams as emblazoned as the Nerazzurri or the Bianconeri.
The Cremonese ‘miracle’
Cremonese, as we were saying, were able to take out Napoli (on penalties) and Roma, both beaten away, taking advantage of Spalletti and Mourinho’s excessive turnover.
Ballardini and Italiano
In the previous rounds the Lombardi had eliminated Ternana and Modena at the end of two other very prolific matches, ending 3-2 and 4-2. In the championship, however, everything seems to be falling apart. The first victory only came in February, coincidentally again against Roma. But after the success over the Giallorossi, Carnesecchi and his companions picked up barely a point in four games, the result of a draw with Monza. On Saturday they could do little in the other derby against Atalanta, who went 3-1 down at the ‘Zini’. With 12 points to make up on the fourth-last, the hopes of keeping the category are practically at the zenith. Cremonese who will find a Fiorentina in dazzling form, a distant relative of the one that in January and February seemed destined for an anonymous season, without great satisfaction. And instead, since the return match against Braga in the Conference League, Vincenzo Italiano’s Gigliati have not stopped, winning eight in a row between league and cup.
The Viola bet on the cups
The Viola just won 0-1 over Inter at the San Siro at the end of a cynical performance, decided by a Bonaventura goal, and remained -4 behind seventh-placed Juventus. The goal, however, is the cups, considering that in a week’s time they will face the first of two challenges against Poland’s Lech Poznan in the Conference League quarter-finals.
Italiano made a turnover against the Nerazzurri, and against Cremonese they should start Milenkovic, Gonzalez and Amrabat, who did not start in Milan. Cabral will play up front, supported by the Argentine, Bonaventura and Ikoné. In strong doubt the presence of Saponara, struggling with the flu. On the other side, Ballardini is thinking of a 3-5-2 with the Tsadjout-Ciofani duo in attack, with Dessers ready to come on from the bench. In addition to Chiriches and Ferrari, the Grigiorossi will also be missing Okereke.
The prediction
The two teams faced each other in the league not even a month ago and it ended 2-0 to the Viola, who also won the first leg in Florence. In the second half, however, Cremonese had numerous chances to shorten the gap and crashed over an amazing Sirigu. Fiorentina are confident, they will not make the same mistake as Napoli and Roma by underestimating the Grigiorossi, and in all likelihood they will get the better of a far inferior opponent. But it cannot be ruled out that Ballardini’s team will manage to score at least one goal.
Cremonese v Fiorentina likely line-up
- CREMONESE (3-5-2): Carnesecchi; Aiwu, Bianchetti, Vasquez; Sernicola, Benassi, Pickel, Meitè, Valeri; Tsadjout, Ciofani.
- FIORENTINA (4-2-3-1): Terracciano; Dodò, Milenkovic, Igor, Biraghi; Amrabat, Mandragora; Gonzalez, Bonaventura, Ikoné; Cabral.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-2
