Overview
Although their form has improved somewhat after the disastrous start, Fiorentina is struggling to stay in Serie A, as the risk of falling to Serie B is still present.
After a 0-3 defeat to Udinese and a draw with Parma in the previous round, Fiorentina is currently just above the relegation zone - partly thanks to Cremonese's poor performance.
Coach Paolo Vanoli's team has only lost one of their last 5 matches in Serie A, but their biggest problem is still the attack. Fiorentina has been goalless in the last 2 matches and has averaged less than one goal per game when playing away from home this season.
Amidst the tense relegation battle, Fiorentina also has to distract themselves from the continental arena. They just hosted Rakow Czestochowa in the round of 16 of the UEFA Europa Conference League at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in a match without spectators.
After overcoming Jagiellonia Białystok in the play-offs, Fiorentina continued to face another Polish opponent and went through a tough match.
The home team was led in the 60th minute before Cher Ndour equalized with a dangerous shot. After that, Roberto Piccoli shot into the crossbar before Albert Gudmundsson scored from a penalty in injury time to bring a breathtaking victory.
The second leg will decide the ticket to the quarterfinals, where Fiorentina can face Crystal Palace or Larnaca. However, in the immediate future, they still have to solve the problem in Serie A.
On the other side, Cremonese is also in a dangerous situation. Coach Davide Nicola's team has never defeated Fiorentina in Serie A. In 13 previous encounters, Cremonese lost 7 and drew 6.
In the first leg in January, they also succumbed because of Moise Kean's late goal. Currently, Cremonese needs a victory to overcome Fiorentina in the relegation race and end their poor form.
In the last 14 rounds, they have only won a mere 4 points - fewer than any other team in Serie A. Cremonese's last victory took place from the end of 2025.
Their attack is also in crisis when they have only scored 4 goals in 2026 and are goalless in all 4 recent home matches - the worst streak of the team in Serie A.
In the previous round, Cremonese narrowly lost to Lecce in a tense match. That match also witnessed Jamie Vardy having to leave the field due to injury, along with two controversial decisions that made them lose the opportunity to score points.
Therefore, the reception of Fiorentina this time is not only an opportunity to break the confrontation jinx, but also a vital match for Cremonese's ambition to stay in Serie A.
Personnel situation
Vanoli is struggling with Fiorentina's limited resources between domestic and European fronts. Therefore, this strategist is expected to continue rotating the squad in the Serie A match, before the difficult away trip to Poland in the Conference League.
After only entering the field from the bench in the match against Rakow Czestochowa, key players such as Nicolo Fagioli and David de Gea are both ready to return to the starting lineup.
In the opposite direction, the away team is still missing Luca Lezzerini, Tariq Lamptey and Manor Solomon due to injury. However, Croatian center-back Marin Pongracic may return after serving his suspension.
Veteran striker Vardy has recovered from the injury sustained in the match against Lecce, but he may lose his starting spot due to poor scoring performance recently.
Expected lineup:
Audero, Terracciano, Bianchetti, Luperto, Barbieri, Thorsby, Maleh, Vandeputte, Zerbin, Vardy, Bonazzoli.
De Gea, Dodo, Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens, Brescianini, Fagioli, Mandragora, Parisi, Piccoli, Gudmundsson.
The match between Cremonese and Fiorentina takes place at 2:45 am on March 17 (Vietnam time).
