At the Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium, on Monday, September 15, the second-to-last fixture of Serie A Matchday 3 will be played between Hellas Verona and Cremonese, two teams fighting to avoid relegation this season. The hosts are still looking for their first league win after the opening two rounds, while the visitors have shocked everyone by winning both matches so far. Verona still looks like a work in progress, with many new players not yet fully settled into Serie A football. However, it’s time for them to collect three points if they want to avoid falling behind their direct rivals for survival, making this start of the season even tougher. Cremonese, on the other hand, sit at the top of the table with maximum points, tied with Juventus, Roma, and Napoli. Their six points already give them a solid base toward their goal of avoiding relegation, but Davide Nicola must keep his team focused and avoid excessive enthusiasm. Even though it’s only Matchday 3, the clash at the Bentegodi is already a crucial one, especially for the home side stuck at just one point. Given the stakes, both teams are expected to battle from the very first minutes, offering fans a match where no player will hold back.

Hellas Verona's recent form and key stats

The start of the season has been anything but positive for Hellas Verona, sitting at just one point after the first two rounds. Before the international break, they suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat away at Lazio, while in their opening game they drew 1-1 against Udinese.

The Scaligeri were also unconvincing in their Coppa Italia debut on August 18, qualifying only after penalties against Audace Cerignola, a Serie C side. Paolo Zanetti’s squad has looked toothless in attack, while defensively they urgently need to find balance.

Playing at home hasn’t been much of an advantage for Verona either, with just one win, five draws, and seven defeats in their last 13 Serie A matches at the Bentegodi. Their last home win dates back to February 23: a 1-0 victory over Fiorentina.

Cremonese's recent form and key stats

A dream start for newly promoted Cremonese, who sit top of the Serie A table with full points after two rounds. After a stunning 2-1 away win at San Siro against AC Milan in the season opener, the Grigiorossi repeated the feat a week later with a 3-2 victory over Sassuolo at the Giovanni Zini Stadium.

Davide Nicola’s side, who last season achieved survival with Cagliari, have averaged 2.5 goals scored and 1.5 conceded so far. These numbers highlight their strong attacking output but also a defense that can still be vulnerable under pressure.

Cremonese already proved themselves away from home this season with the victory at Milan. Looking back to their last 10 away matches in Serie B, they collected four wins, three draws, and three defeats.

Hellas Verona vs Cremonese prediction and tactical overview

The last time Hellas Verona and Cremonese met was in the 2022/23 Serie A season, which ended with Cremonese’s relegation and Verona’s survival after the playoff against Spezia.

Both matches back then ended with fewer than three goals: Verona won 2-0 in the first leg, while the return fixture finished 1-1. Despite that history, BetMines’ algorithm suggests that this time more than two goals could be scored overall, pointing to a potential outcome of Under 2.5 goals.

Since both sides are direct relegation rivals, a cautious approach is expected, with neither team wanting to expose themselves to dangerous counterattacks. This makes it likely to be a tense and hard-fought match, possibly decided by a set-piece or a single moment of brilliance.

• Hellas Verona vs Cremonese prediction by BetMines: Under 2.5 goals with 53% probability
  
  
• Hellas Verona vs Cremonese prediction by BetMines: Over 2.5 goals with 47% probability

Probable lineups Hellas Verona vs Cremonese

HELLAS VERONA (3-5-2): Montipò; Unai Nunez, Nelsson, Frese; Cham, Serdar, Gagliardini, Akpa-Akpro, Bradaric; Giovane, Orban. Coach: Paolo Zanetti

CREMONESE (3-5-2): Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Bianchetti; Zerbin, Collocolo, Bondo, Vandeputte, Pezzella; Vasquez, Sanabria. Coach: Davide Nicola