A battle at the bottom of Serie A sees Hellas Verona host fellow strugglers Cremonese on Monday evening, with the sides having posted just one league win between them this term.
Under new management, Hellas at least took a point away to Torino in their first fixture of 2023, but their visitors were denied a draw by conceding in stoppage time to Juventus.
Match preview
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Having ended 2022 occupying 20th place, following a club record 10 straight defeats, things could only get better for Verona upon their return to competitive action on Wednesday, when they travelled to Turin with a new head coach at the helm.
Hired to replace caretaker manager Salvatore Bocchetti, who now becomes his assistant at Stadio Bentegodi, ex-Chievo coach Marco Zaffaroni saw Milan Djuric's header put Hellas in front against Torino, but his new side ultimately had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
Bringing a slight glimmer of hope in a dismal season for the club, Djuric - whose opener was his fifth headed goal from his last six strikes in Serie A - halted the Gialloblu's losing streak at last, but they still remain eight points adrift of safety nearing the season's halfway stage.
Goals have been hard to come by this term, but it is a leaky defence which consigns Verona to such a lowly position, and they have now conceded at least once in each of their last 23 league matches.
All of which means it is little surprise that the Scaligeri have lost nine of their last 10 home fixtures, after having remained unbeaten in seven of the previous 10 when former boss Igor Tudor was in charge.
Verona are, though, unbeaten at home against Cremonese throughout a handful of previous meetings in the top flight, but their only home win against the Lombardy club was back in March 1985, during the distant glory days of Preben Elkjaer and Hans-Peter Briegel, who were both on the scoresheet that day.
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In total, Cremonese have won only one of their six Serie A encounters with Verona, but more pressingly, they are yet to win at all in this season's comeback campaign following another defeat on Wednesday.
Having held Juventus goalless at Stadio Giovanni Zini until the 91st minute, Massimiliano Alvini's men seemed set for a precious point which would inch them closer to escaping the division's bottom three, but Juve's Arkadiusz Milik struck at the death; consigning them to a ninth loss since promotion.
Cremonese are still without victory since returning to the top flight after more than 20 years away, and since Serie A switched to 20 teams in 2004, only one side has ended the first half of the season without a single win - incidentally, Verona seven years ago.
Alvini has just two games left to prevent such a fate befalling his team, and after visiting Veneto on Monday another presentable opportunity at home to Monza arrives next weekend.
Then set to tackle league leaders Napoli in the Coppa Italia later this month, the Grigiorossi have earned just four points from their first eight away matches this season, so would delight in boosting that tally at a relegation rival's expense.
Team News
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After making a relatively successful start to life as Verona head coach, Marco Zaffaroni is unlikely to tinker much with the team that took a point home from Torino - particularly as both Marco Faraoni and Kevin Lasagna remain short of full fitness.
One potential switch would see Darko Lazovic move back onto the right flank as cover for Faraoni, with Simone Verdi stepping into the Serbian's advanced midfield role behind central striker Milan Djuric.
Otherwise, Fabio Depaoli will retain his place out wide, while Scottish star Josh Doig features on the left side of the hosts' 3-4-2-1 formation.
Sitting on only two league goals since his summer transfer from Feyenoord, no player has hit the woodwork more times (three) than Cremonese striker Cyriel Dessers in Serie A so far, and the Nigeria international has a 6.7% strike-rate from shots taken this term.
His probable partner, David Okereke, has scored the most away goals for the Grigiorossi (three), and the pair should be supported by Cristian Buonaiuto at the Bentegodi.
If loan signing Alex Ferrari is fit enough to start again, fellow defender Jack Hendry may remain on the bench; meanwhile, Soualiho Meite is suspended and both Vlad Chiriches and Santiago Ascacibar are major doubts due to injury.
Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:
Montipo; Dawidowicz, Hien, Ceccherini; Depaoli, Ilic, Tameze, Doig; Lazovic, Kallon; Djuric
Cremonese possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Sernicola, Ferrari, Bianchetti, Valeri; Castagnetti, Pickel, Milanese; Buonaiuto; Dessers, Okereke
We say: Hellas Verona 0-1 Cremonese
Buoyed by their impressive performance against Juve, Cremonese can finally end their drought by beating the only side sitting beneath them in the Serie A standings. The visitors will be able to catch Verona out at least once, and now have the discipline to get three points over the line at long last.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
