Cremonese vs Pisa: Relegation Six-Pointer Showdown

Stadio Giovanni Zini stages a relegation six-pointer on 10 May 2026 as 18th-placed Cremonese host bottom side Pisa in Serie A. With both clubs currently in the relegation zone and running out of road in the Regular Season - 36 round, this is as close to a must-win as it gets for survival hopes.

Cremonese sit 18th on 28 points, five clear of Pisa’s 18 but still below the safety line. The home side’s goal difference of -26 (27 scored, 53 conceded) underlines their fragility, yet they have at least stayed competitive more often than their visitors. Pisa arrive with the division’s worst record: just 2 wins from 35 matches, a -38 goal difference and an away campaign still searching for a first victory.

Form and momentum

In the league, Cremonese’s recent form line of “LLDLL” shows a side sliding at the worst possible time. Across all phases, their longer form string contains short winning bursts but is dominated by losses and draws, reflecting a team that struggles to sustain any positive run. At home they have taken only 2 wins from 17, drawing 7 and losing 8, with just 14 goals scored. That lack of punch at Zini is a major concern in a game they realistically need to win.

Pisa’s form is even more alarming. Their league sequence of “LLLLL” is five straight defeats, and across all phases they have lurched from one poor run to another, with only brief respites. Away from home they are winless: 0 wins, 8 draws, 9 defeats in 17 matches, conceding 40 goals (2.4 per game on average) and scoring 16. They have, however, shown a stubborn streak on their travels at times, drawing nearly half of those away fixtures.

Psychologically, Cremonese at least know they are capable of winning games; their biggest away win this season is 1-3, and they have strung together a maximum winning streak of two. Pisa’s best run is only a single consecutive win, underlining how rarely they put together complete performances.

Tactical outlook: shapes and styles

Cremonese have a clear tactical identity. Across all phases they have lined up in a 3-5-2 in 24 matches, with occasional switches to 3-1-4-2 and 4-4-2. The three-centre-back base, supported by wing-backs, suggests a team trying to balance defensive solidity with width. Yet the numbers show the defensive side of that plan has not fully worked: they concede 1.5 goals per game overall, and at home they allow 25 in 17, roughly 1.5 per match.

Going forward, Cremonese average just 0.8 goals per game overall and at home, and they have failed to score in 17 of 35 league fixtures. This is a low-volume attack that leans heavily on moments rather than sustained pressure. The wing-backs and central midfielders must support the front two aggressively if they are to break down Pisa’s back line.

Pisa also favour a back three. Their most used formation is 3-5-2 (19 matches), with 3-4-2-1 the next most common (11 matches). That flexibility between a two-striker setup and a lone forward with two attacking midfielders indicates a side that alternates between direct play and trying to find pockets between the lines. However, their execution has been poor: only 25 goals in 35 games (0.7 per match), with a particularly blunt attack at home (9 goals) and slightly better output away (16).

Defensively, Pisa’s structure has been porous, especially on the road. They concede 2.4 goals per game away and have suffered heavy defeats, including a 5-0 away loss. Their biggest away defeat and the “goals against” ceiling of 6 in a single away match point to a back line that can collapse under pressure, especially if they are forced to chase the game.

Discipline could also shape the contest. Cremonese tend to pick up a lot of yellow cards late in games, with 27.27% of their cautions between minutes 76-90, and they have seen multiple red cards in added time periods. Pisa also accumulate bookings late, with 25.35% of their yellows in the final quarter-hour and additional reds around half-time and stoppage time. A tense relegation battle with tired legs and high stakes increases the risk of a sending-off changing the dynamic.

Key players and attacking threats

For Cremonese, Federico Bonazzoli is the standout attacking figure. The 28-year-old forward has 8 league goals and 1 assist from 32 appearances, with 28 shots on target from 52 attempts. His rating of 6.98 across substantial minutes (2,297) underlines his importance. Bonazzoli also contributes outside the box: 734 passes at 83% accuracy, 13 key passes, plus notable work rate with 226 duels (117 won) and 27 tackles.

Crucially, Bonazzoli has scored 2 penalties this season without a miss. Combined with Cremonese’s team penalty record of 3 scored from 3, he offers a reliable option from the spot in what could be a tight, nervy encounter. His ability to draw fouls (72 won) may also be significant against a Pisa defence that can be clumsy and is prone to cards.

Pisa’s squad data is not broken down by individual scorers here, but structurally they rely on collective output rather than a single talisman. Their biggest home win of 3-1 and an away high of 2 goals suggest they can threaten in bursts, but the lack of a consistent scorer is reflected in their meagre tally of 25 goals and 19 matches in which they have failed to score.

Head-to-head: Pisa edge the recent rivalry

The last five competitive meetings between these clubs (all league matches, no friendlies) give Pisa a narrow edge:

• On 7 November 2025 in Serie A at Arena Garibaldi - Stadio Romeo Anconetani, Pisa beat Cremonese 1-0.
• On 13 May 2025 in Serie B at Arena Garibaldi - Stadio Romeo Anconetani, Pisa beat Cremonese 2-1.
• On 3 November 2024 in Serie B at Stadio Giovanni Zini, Pisa beat Cremonese 3-1.
• On 1 May 2024 in Serie B at Stadio Giovanni Zini, Cremonese beat Pisa 2-1.
• On 2 December 2023 in Serie B at Arena Garibaldi - Stadio Romeo Anconetani, Pisa and Cremonese drew 0-0.

Over these five matches, Pisa have 3 wins, Cremonese 1 win, and there has been 1 draw. Notably, Pisa have already won twice away at Zini in this sequence, including that 3-1 success in November 2024, which will give them some confidence despite their current league position.

Defensive records and clean sheets

Cremonese have kept 9 clean sheets across all phases (5 at home), which is respectable for a relegation-threatened side. When their defensive structure holds, they can grind out results. Pisa, by contrast, have only 5 clean sheets in total and just 1 away. Given their away goals-against tally of 40, it is rare for them to shut teams out on the road.

Both sides struggle badly in attack: Cremonese have failed to score in 17 matches, Pisa in 19. That raises the possibility of a cagey, low-scoring affair despite Pisa’s tendency to concede heavily away.

The verdict

Data points in several directions at once. Pisa have the better recent head-to-head record and have already won at Zini in this fixture last season. However, their current form is catastrophic, they have yet to win away in the league this season, and they leak 2.4 goals per game on the road. Cremonese, while far from convincing, are the less dysfunctional side and have at least shown they can keep clean sheets at home and lean on a reliable goalscorer in Federico Bonazzoli.

Tactically, the mirrored back-three systems suggest a tight battle in midfield, with wing-backs and set pieces likely to be decisive. Discipline and late-game concentration will be crucial in a match where a single mistake could define the relegation picture.

On balance, Cremonese’s marginally stronger defence, home advantage at Stadio Giovanni Zini, and the presence of Bonazzoli tilt the scales their way. Pisa’s propensity to draw away games means a stalemate cannot be ruled out, but the logical expectation is a narrow Cremonese victory in a low-scoring, tense encounter that keeps their survival hopes alive while pushing Pisa closer to an immediate return to Serie B.