Catanzaro-Cremonese is a match valid for the first leg of the semifinals of the Serie B playoffs and is played Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.: odds, predictions, live TV and streaming.
A semifinal won with a thrill for Vincenzo Vivarini’s Catanzaro, which was saved only thanks to a goal by Donnarumma in the last valid action before the final whistle last Saturday in the match against Brescia. The experienced Giallorossi striker, man of the match along with goalkeeper Fulignati, pegged back the Lombardi as time practically expired by scoring taking the match into extra time, where the Calabrians subsequently went on a rampage, first with Brignola and then with captain Iemmello (4-2).
The fifth force in the Serie B championship will now have to contend with Giovanni Stroppa’s Cremonese, who finished the regular season in fourth place and seven points ahead of the Eagles. In the event of a tie at the end of the 180 minutes, then, it will be the grigiorossi who will earn the pass to the playoff final against one of Palermo or Venezia. Stroppa, who already won a postseason two years ago at the helm of Monza, hopes that the week’s stop will have benefited his men, who arrived a bit out of breath at the climax of the season. Cremonese, in fact, starting last March began to slow down, thus failing to reach the goal of direct promotion. In the past month, Vazquez and his teammates have scored only two wins in six matches, getting the better of only Pisa and Cittadella and failing to keep up with Como. With Catanzaro in the regular season, two very balanced challenges were staged. Perhaps too much so, as both ended with the result of 0-0.
Catanzaro-Cremonese: latest lineup news
Vivarini must do without only Situm. Otherwise, it would not be a surprise to see the same 11 who faced Brescia on Saturday on the field. Up front the Iemmello-Biasci pair, with Donnarumma ready to take over in the second half.
On the other side, Stroppa will opt for a 3-5-2: Vazquez and Tsadjout in attack, Norwegian Johnsen will instead play in the midfield, in the role of a halfback. Absent are Afena-Gyan, Sarr and Ravanelli.
The Prediction
The fact that Catanzaro stayed on the field 120 minutes three days ago could affect a match that in any case promises to be wide open. The feeling is that the Calabrians are capable of once again throwing their hearts over the obstacle, at least avoiding defeat. We expect balance, as was the case in the league, although this time the two teams should score at least one goal on each side.
The probable formations of Catanzaro-Cremonese
CATANZARO (4-4-2): Fulignati; Scognamillo, Antonini, Brighenti, Veroli; Sounas, Pontisso, Petriccione, Vandeputte; Iemmello, Biasci.
CREMONESE (3-5-2): Saro; Antov, Bianchetti, Marrone; Ghiglione, Pickel, Majer, Johnsen, Quagliata; Vazquez, Tsadjout.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
