Cremonese vs Pisa: Relegation Clash in Serie A

Stadio Giovanni Zini hosts a tense relegation six-pointer on 10 May 2026, as 18th-placed Cremonese welcome bottom side Pisa in Serie A. With both clubs marooned in the drop zone and running out of road in the Regular Season – 36th matchday of the campaign – this feels less like a routine league fixture and more like a last stand.

Stakes and league context

In the league, Cremonese sit 18th with 28 points from 35 games, goal difference -26 (27 scored, 53 conceded). They are in the relegation places and their recent form reads “LLDLL” – one point from the last five. At home they have been fragile: just 2 wins from 17 (2-7-8), with 14 goals scored and 25 conceded.

Pisa are in even deeper trouble. They are 20th with 18 points, goal difference -38 (25 for, 63 against), and a dire “LLLLL” in their last five league matches. Across all phases they have only 2 wins in 35 games. Their away record underlines why they are bottom: 0 wins, 8 draws and 9 defeats from 17 away fixtures, with 16 goals scored and a huge 40 conceded.

For Cremonese, this is a must-win to keep any realistic survival hope alive. For Pisa, it is about pride, avoiding finishing the season winless on the road, and dragging a direct rival further into the mire.

Tactical outlook: Cremonese

Across all phases, Cremonese have leaned heavily on three-at-the-back systems. Their most-used shape is 3-5-2 (24 matches), supplemented by variants like 3-1-4-2 and 3-4-3. The idea is clear: pack central areas, protect a vulnerable defence, and feed a focal point in attack.

The numbers show the trade-off. Cremonese average only 0.8 goals per game (27 in 35), with 0.8 at home. They have failed to score in 17 league matches, almost half their games. But the back three is not watertight either: 53 conceded, 1.5 per match, and 25 at home (1.5 per home game). Clean sheets (9 in total, 5 at home) show they can shut opponents out in the right game state, but consistency is lacking.

Federico Bonazzoli is the clear reference. The 28-year-old attacker is Cremonese’s top scorer in Serie A with 8 goals and 1 assist in 32 appearances (28 starts, 2297 minutes). He carries a significant attacking load:

• 52 shots, 28 on target, indicating a willingness to shoot and a decent accuracy.
• 13 key passes and 734 total passes at 83% accuracy, showing he can link play as well as finish.
• Physically engaged: 226 duels with 117 won, plus 72 fouls drawn, underlining his role as a target man who absorbs contact.
• From the spot, he has scored 2 penalties with 0 misses, so he is a reliable taker individually.

Cremonese’s biggest wins in the league – 2-0 at home and 1-3 away – fit the pattern of a side that, when they get the first goal and can compress space in a back three, become far more comfortable. Their heaviest home defeat (1-4) is a warning: if they have to chase the game, that three-man defence can be exposed.

Expect Cremonese to stick with a 3-5-2 base: three centre-backs, wing-backs tasked with providing width, and Bonazzoli as the central reference, possibly with a partner to run beyond him. Given Pisa’s defensive record, the hosts may be more aggressive with their wing-backs and central midfielders stepping higher than usual.

Discipline is a subplot. Cremonese pick up a lot of late yellows – 27.27% of their cautions come between 76-90 minutes – and they have seen red cards in stoppage time (2 reds between 91-105 minutes, plus another outside the main ranges). In a high-stress relegation clash, managing emotions will matter.

Tactical outlook: Pisa

Pisa’s season has been defined by struggle. Across all phases they average 0.7 goals per game (25 in 35), with just 0.5 at home but a slightly better 0.9 away. Defensively, they are the league’s whipping boys: 63 conceded (1.8 per game), including a staggering 40 on their travels (2.4 per away match).

Tactically, Pisa also favour a back three. Their primary formation is 3-5-2 (19 matches), with 3-4-2-1 used 11 times. They have occasionally experimented with 5-3-2, 4-4-2, 3-4-1-2, 3-4-3, and 3-5-1-1, but the core identity is a three-centre-back structure.

The problem is balance. Pisa’s biggest away defeat is 5-0; they have also lost 5-0 in general, and their worst home loss is 0-3. Their biggest away attacking return is only 2 goals, underlining limited cutting edge. They have failed to score in 19 matches overall, and they have just 1 away clean sheet all season.

There is, however, one area of relative strength: penalties. Pisa have scored 6 penalties with 0 misses at team level, a rare source of reliability in a chaotic campaign. In a tight game where territory and set pieces matter, that composure from the spot could be significant if they can force fouls in the box.

Pisa’s recent form line – “LLLLL” – suggests a side low on confidence. With no away wins all season, their likely approach at Zini will be conservative: a compact 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1, trying to clog central channels, hit in transition, and lean on set pieces. But their away defensive numbers make it hard to trust that structure to hold for 90 minutes.

Disciplinary trends also point to potential volatility. Pisa collect a high proportion of yellows late (25.35% between 76-90 minutes) and have seen red cards in the 31-45 and 91-105 ranges. If they are chasing the game, rash challenges could tilt the contest further.

Head-to-head: Pisa’s edge

Looking at the last five competitive meetings (Serie A and Serie B only, no friendlies):

1. 07 November 2025, Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani (Serie A): Pisa 1-0 Cremonese – Pisa win.
2. 13 May 2025, Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani (Serie B): Pisa 2-1 Cremonese – Pisa win.
3. 03 November 2024, Stadio Giovanni Zini (Serie B): Cremonese 1-3 Pisa – Pisa win.
4. 01 May 2024, Stadio Giovanni Zini (Serie B): Cremonese 2-1 Pisa – Cremonese win.
5. 02 December 2023, Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani (Serie B): Pisa 0-0 Cremonese – Draw.

Over these five, Pisa have 3 wins, Cremonese 1, with 1 draw. Pisa have also twice won at Zini (3-1 in November 2024 and 2-1 defeat in May 2024 balancing that, but Pisa still with an away win in the recent sample), so the venue has not been an insurmountable obstacle for them.

Notably, the most recent meeting in Serie A, in November 2025, ended 1-0 to Pisa in Pisa. That result underlines that, despite their league struggles, Pisa have been able to edge this specific matchup.

Key battles

• Bonazzoli vs Pisa’s back three: With Pisa conceding 2.4 goals per away game, containing Cremonese’s main striker is paramount. His aerial presence, hold-up play and penalty threat make him the most decisive individual on the pitch.
• Midfield congestion: Both sides favour three centre-backs and a packed midfield. The team that can progress the ball through or around that block – via wing-backs or vertical passes into the forwards – will gain territory and set-piece opportunities.
• Set pieces and penalties: Pisa’s flawless team penalty record and Bonazzoli’s 2/2 from the spot for Cremonese put extra weight on box discipline. Given both teams’ late yellow and red card patterns, a single penalty decision could swing the result.
• Psychology and stamina: Cremonese’s home crowd at Zini will expect them to seize the initiative. Pisa, winless away, must survive early pressure and avoid the collapse that has led to heavy away defeats like 5-0.

The verdict

Data points to a cagey but error-prone relegation scrap. Cremonese are far from convincing, yet they have:

• A 10-point advantage in the table.
• At least some home wins on the board.
• The league’s more reliable attacking focal point in Bonazzoli.
• A defence that, while leaky, is not as porous as Pisa’s, especially at home.

Pisa’s winless away record, -38 goal difference, and five straight league defeats make it hard to back them, even with a favourable recent head-to-head record. Their best hope lies in exploiting Cremonese’s nerves, nicking a goal from a set piece or penalty, and clinging on.

On balance, Cremonese’s marginally better structure, home advantage, and superior attacking reference suggest they are more likely to edge a low-scoring, tense encounter. A narrow home win, perhaps decided by a single goal and possibly a set piece, is the logical expectation – with the loser staring even more firmly at Serie B.