Cremonese vs Cagliari — Match Preview
Serie A midweek action comes to the Stadio Giovanni Zini on Wednesday, 7 January 2026, as Cremonese host Cagliari in a crucial bottom-half battle. Cremonese sit 13th with 21 points but are in freefall, having failed to score in their last three matches (losing to Napoli, Fiorentina, and drawing with Lazio). The arrival of veteran striker Jamie Vardy has added star power, but the goals haven’t flowed yet. Cagliari, in 15th with 18 points, are fighting tooth and nail for survival. They showed grit in a narrow 0–1 loss to AC Milan just days ago and recently stunned Torino away from home. A win for the Sardinians would draw them level on points with their hosts, dragging Cremonese firmly into the relegation dogfight.
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Match Info
- Competition: Serie A (Matchday 19)
- Venue: Stadio Giovanni Zini, Cremona (Capacity: 20,641)
- Date: Wednesday, 7 January 2026
- Kickoff: 18:30 CET | 17:30 GMT | 12:30 ET
- Referee: Kevin Bonacina (ITA)
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Match Stakes
Cremonese (13th — 21 pts):
- Win → Moves to 24 pts; breaks the goalless streak and restores a comfortable mid-table buffer.
- Draw → Extends winless run to 5 games; offensive struggles continue to worry fans.
- Loss → Disaster; gap to Cagliari vanishes; the team risks sliding into the relegation battle.
Cagliari (15th — 18 pts):
- Win → Moves to 21 pts; huge result that levels them with Cremonese and pulls them away from the drop zone.
- Draw → A decent point on the road, but keeps them looking over their shoulder.
- Loss → Gap to safety could shrink; momentum from the Torino win dissipates.
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Team News
Cremonese:
- Collocolo M. — Out (Groin Injury – Midfield Engine Missing)
- Sarmiento J. — Questionable (Inactive)
- Jamie Vardy — Starts upfront. The English veteran is looking for his first big moment in Serie A.
- Tactical Note: Manager Giovanni Stroppa (or current boss) is relying on wing-backs Vandeputte and Pezzella to supply the crosses for Vardy and Bonazzoli.
Cagliari:
- Belotti A. — Out (Knee Injury – Top Striker Missing)
- Folorunsho M. — Out (Knee Injury)
- Felici M. — Out (Knee Injury)
- Deiola A. — Questionable (Thigh Injury)
- Esposito Se. — Questionable (Injury – But in predicted lineup)
- Attack Reshuffle: Without “Il Gallo” Belotti, the creative burden falls heavily on Gianluca Gaetano to support young Sebastiano Esposito (if fit).
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Cremonese
- 04/01 — 0–1 vs Fiorentina (Serie A)
- 28/12 — 0–2 vs Napoli (Serie A)
- 20/12 — 0–0 vs Lazio (Serie A)
- 13/12 — 0–1 vs Torino (Serie A)
- 07/12 — 2–0 vs Lecce (Serie A)
Cagliari
- 03/01 — 0–1 vs AC Milan (Serie A)
- 27/12 — 2–1 vs Torino (Serie A)
- 21/12 — 2–2 vs Pisa (Serie A)
- 14/12 — 1–2 vs Atalanta (Serie A)
- 07/12 — 1–0 vs AS Roma (Serie A)
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)
- 24/09/2024 — Cagliari 1–0 Cremonese (Coppa Italia)
- 28/10/2020 — Cagliari 1–0 Cremonese (Coppa Italia)
- 26/07/2018 — Cagliari 1–0 Cremonese (Friendly)
- 25/02/1996 — Cremonese 3–1 Cagliari (Serie A)
- 15/10/1995 — Cagliari 1–0 Cremonese (Serie A)
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Cremonese (3-5-2)
Audero; Folino, Baschirotto, Terracciano; Barbieri, Payero, Bondo, Vandeputte, Pezzella; Bonazzoli, Vardy
Cagliari (3-5-1-1)
Caprile; Zappa, Rodriguez, Luperto; Palestra, Adopo, Prati, Mazzitelli, Obert; Gaetano; Esposito
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Impact Bench
Cremonese: Johnsen (Speed), Vazquez (Creativity)
Cagliari: Lapadula (Experience), Marin (Set-pieces)
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Tactical Analysis
Cremonese
The hosts are suffering from a lack of creativity. They have failed to score in over 360 minutes of football. The plan will be to get the ball wide to Jari Vandeputte and Giuseppe Pezzella to launch crosses for Jamie Vardy. Defensively, Federico Baschirotto anchors the line, but they must be wary of Cagliari’s counter-attacks.
Cagliari
Davide Nicola’s side is gritty. Even in defeat against Milan, they were organized. Without Belotti, they lack a focal point, so they will rely on Gianluca Gaetano drifting between the lines. They will likely surrender possession to Cremonese (who aren’t comfortable with it) and look to exploit errors. Set-pieces delivered by Nicolas Viola (if subbed in) or Gaetano could be decisive.
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Key Battles
- Vardy vs Luperto — Premier League legend vs tough Serie A defender.
- Gaetano vs Bondo — The battle for space in the “hole”.
- Vandeputte vs Palestra — Winger vs Wing-back duel on the flank.
- Audero vs Esposito — Can the young striker beat the experienced keeper?
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Spotlight Players
Cremonese — Jamie Vardy
All eyes are on the Englishman. He was brought in to score goals, but the service has been poor. Against a Cagliari defense that concedes over a goal a game, this is his best chance to open his account and become a hero in Cremona.
Cagliari — Gianluca Gaetano
He is the technician of this team. With the strikers injured, Gaetano needs to produce a moment of magic—either a through ball or a long-range shot—to steal the points.
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Prediction
Cremonese 1–1 Cagliari
Both teams are struggling for goals and confidence. Cremonese are desperate to end their drought, while Cagliari have been decent on the road recently. A low-scoring, scrappy draw seems inevitable, with Vardy finally getting on the scoresheet but Cagliari fighting back for a point.
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Betting Insights
- Under 2.5 Goals — High Probability (Cremonese goal drought).
- Draw — Value Bet.
- Jamie Vardy to Score — Narrative pick.
Cremonese vs Cagliari — Where to Watch
- Italy: DAZN
- USA: Paramount+
- UK: TNT Sports
Cremonese vs Cagliari — FAQs
Q: When is the Cremonese vs Cagliari match?
A: The match kicks off on Wednesday, 7 January 2026, at 18:30 CET.
Q: Is Andrea Belotti playing?
A: No. He is out with a knee injury.
Q: Who is playing upfront for Cremonese?
A: Jamie Vardy is expected to start alongside Federico Bonazzoli.
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