The Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium in Como will host an intriguing Serie A matchup on Sunday as newly-promoted Como welcome Hellas Verona in a battle between two sides experiencing contrasting fortunes. Fresh off their first top-flight victory in over two decades, Como aim to build momentum against a Verona squad looking to halt a worrying slide.
Cesc Fabregas’ Como side enter this fixture brimming with confidence after securing a dramatic 3-2 away victory over Atalanta last weekend – their first Serie A win since 2003. The triumph lifted the Lariani to 15th in the table and provided a massive boost to their survival hopes.
“That win was hugely important for our belief,” Fabregas told reporters. “But we must back it up with another strong performance on Sunday. Consistency will be key to achieving our goals this season.”
Como’s recent form has been encouraging, with the promoted side unbeaten in their last three matches. While defensive frailties remain a concern, having conceded nine goals across their previous two games, Como’s attacking prowess has been evident.
Striker Patrick Cutrone will be crucial to Como’s chances, having netted three times already this campaign. The former AC Milan man failed to find the net against Atalanta but his overall play was instrumental in securing the victory.
In contrast to their buoyant hosts, Hellas Verona arrive in Lombardy desperate to halt a concerning dip in form. After a bright start that saw them collect six points from their opening three fixtures, the Gialloblu have suffered back-to-back defeats against Lazio and Torino.
Manager Paolo Zanetti cut a frustrated figure following last weekend’s 3-2 home loss to Torino: “We’re making too many individual errors at crucial moments. We must rediscover our defensive solidity if we want to climb the table.”
History favors Como in this fixture, with Verona failing to win on 10 of their 11 previous visits across all competitions. However, Zanetti will be keen to remind his players that their sole victory at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia came on their most recent trip – a 2-1 success in Serie B back in 2019.
The midfield battle between Como’s Sergi Roberto and Verona’s Daniel Silva could prove decisive. Roberto’s experience and passing range will be vital in dictating the tempo for the hosts, while Silva’s energy and pressing will be crucial to Verona’s hopes of disrupting Como’s rhythm.
In attack, the duel between Como’s Gabriel Strefezza and Verona full-back Jackson Tchatchoua promises to be fascinating. Strefezza’s trickery and crossing ability make him a constant threat, but Tchatchoua’s pace and defensive awareness could nullify the Brazilian’s influence.
Team News
Como will evaluate Alberto Cerri’s fitness before the match, though he was not expected to be in the starting lineup even if fully healthy.
Despite not contributing directly to the scoresheet in Como’s recent historic win, Patrick Cutrone’s importance to the team’s survival hopes is evident from his goals in previous matches against Cagliari and Bologna.
Hellas Verona will be without Pawel Dawidowicz for their next two fixtures, including the match against Como, due to his red card for violent conduct in the game against Torino.
Verona manager Zanetti is dealing with several injury concerns. Ondrej Duda and Tomas Suslov are struggling with muscle issues, Suat Serdar has a hamstring problem, Abdou Harroui is sidelined with a knee injury, and Juan Manuel Cruz is unavailable due to a thigh strain.
Expected Starting XIs
Como: Audero; Brempt, Dossena, Kempf, Moreno; Roberto, Perrone; Strefezza, Paz, Fadera; Cutrone
Verona:Montipo; Tchatchoua, Daniliuc, Coppola, Frese; Belahyane, Silva; Kastanos, Sarr, Lazovic; Tengstedt
Match Prediction
Como’s newfound confidence and home advantage give them a slight edge in what promises to be a closely-fought encounter. Verona’s recent defensive struggles could prove costly against a Como attack growing in potency.
Prediction: Como 2-1 Hellas Verona
