Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Serie A clash between Como and Parma, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Promoted together last season, struggling Serie A newcomers Como and Parma will convene at Stadio Sinigaglia on Saturday afternoon.
While the hosts have started to recover from a rocky start in the top flight, their Emilian counterparts have spilt a series of points and sit close to the foot of the standings.
Match preview
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Beaten 3-1 by leaders Napoli just before the international break, Como continued a miserable record in Naples, having now lost on each of their 12 Serie A visits to the southern city.
Nonetheless, the Lombardy club have recently showed signs of finding their feet at Italy’s elite level, having gone into that game on a three-match unbeaten run that featured their first top-flight win for 21 years.
Partly thanks to that 3-2 victory over likely survival rivals Hellas Verona, the Lariani occupy 14th place in the table, three points above the relegation zone and two clear of Parma, who beat them to top spot in Serie B last season.
Como could now win back-to-back home games for the first time in Serie A since the autumn of 1988, and head coach Cesc Fabregas will hope he has settled on the right attacking formula to do so.
Having initially chopped and changed his front line, the ex-Arsenal star has since combined Patrick Cutrone, new Argentina international Nico Paz and Brazilian winger Gabriel Strefezza – who scored against Napoli last time out – to good effect.
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While they may be trailing their hosts in the table, Parma will have the weight of history on their side this weekend, having lost only one of their last 13 league meetings with Como.
The Crociati are making another Serie A comeback following a three-year absence, but after a bright start they have since begun to sink down the standings.
Four points from their first two league contests – against Fiorentina and AC Milan – showed plenty of promise, but Fabio Pecchia‘s young side then proceeded to drop several points from winning positions.
Before international football intervened, the Serie B champions drew 0-0 against Emilian rivals Bologna at Stadio Dall’Ara, leaving them winless in five matches.
Not only have Parma displayed a certain naivety in letting leads slip, but a lack of discipline has also cost them dearly: no team have received more red cards throughout Europe’s top five leagues this season, with a tally of four putting them level with Sevilla.
Como Serie A form:
Parma Serie A form:
Team News
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Assuming Nico Paz returns from his first camp with Argentina’s senior team unscathed, Como could name the same XI that lost to Napoli, with the former Real Madrid man supporting four-goal top scorer Patrick Cutrone up front.
Despite starting the season on the bench, Paz has already recorded 19 shots, created 12 chances and completed 12 dribbles in Serie A, before setting up a World Cup qualifying goal for Lionel Messi earlier this week.
His fellow forward, Alberto Cerri, is the hosts’ only man missing, due to an ankle problem; however, Parma must deal with a number of absences.
The visitors are without Yordan Osorio – injured while on international duty with Venezuela – plus long-term absentee Alessandro Circati and suspended full-back Woyo Coulibaly. The latter was sent off against Bologna, so Fabio Pecchia is left with a selection headache in defence.
In the final third, French striker Yoan Bonny should be supported by Valentin Mihaila and Dennis Man, the latter of whom has scored three league goals this season, in addition to one for Romania last week – he has also created the most chances from open play (15) in Serie A this season.
Como possible starting lineup:
Audero; Van Der Brempt, Kempf, Dossena, Moreno; Perrone, Roberto; Strefezza, Paz, Fadera; Cutrone
Parma possible starting lineup:
Suzuki; Del Prato, Leoni, Balogh, Valeri; Sohm, Bernabe; Man, Hernani, Mihaila; Bonny
We say: Como 2-2 Parma
Neither side has been able to keep the back door shut this season, and as both will be chasing maximum points against a potential relegation rival, there could be several goals at Stadio Sinigaglia.
Indeed, the two teams have an array of exciting forwards, who will take centre stage in an entertaining score-draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.