Mignani returns to his old club with Catanzaro still searching for a win
Catanzaro sacked Giorgio Gorgone after a 6-1 home defeat to Ascoli and turned to Michele Mignani, who coached Cesena before. Two games in, the response has been modest: a stoppage-time equaliser at Benevento and a 1-1 at home to Padova. The bottom side’s last league win came on 12 September, and their next task is a trip to a ground where Catanzaro have not won since 1977. For Cesena, the main news is good: league top scorer Cristian Shpendi trained with the group again after a foot knock.
„If we train like this, Saturday will be hard for the others.“ – Alessandro Diamanti (via Il Resto del Carlino, translated from Italian)
Predicted lineups: Cesena vs Catanzaro
Diamanti is set to stick with his 4-3-3, with Shpendi through the middle and Antonio Fiori and D’Andrea either side. Luca Schirone remains out and Jonathan Klinsmann is still being assessed. Mignani has used a 3-5-2 and may welcome back Giovane, with Pecorino an option for limited minutes. N’Dri Koffi left one training session early as a precaution.
Cesena Team News & Preview
Cesena have not lost at the Manuzzi all season: one win and four draws, the latest a 2-1 victory over Empoli. They are a side that keeps games close rather than dominating them, with 1.29 expected goals for and 1.21 against per game, and they have conceded in every league match so far. In attack, almost everything runs through Shpendi, who has eight of the team’s 11 league goals.
That dependence is the issue Diamanti has to manage. Shpendi picked up a foot knock in the 1-1 at Südtirol and was back in the group this week, so his availability is the biggest single factor in Cesena’s favour. The 3-0 defeat at Modena three games ago also shows they can be outplayed on a bad day, but that came away from home.
What works for or against Cesena
- Unbeaten at home in the league this season.
- Shpendi, with eight goals, is back in training.
- Four draws in five home league games.
- Have conceded in every league match.
Catanzaro Team News & Preview
Twenty-two goals conceded in ten games is the worst record in the division, and the 6-1 against Ascoli cost Gorgone his job. Catanzaro allow 2.03 expected goals per game, and their away record is poor: four defeats and two draws from six trips. They have six points, two fewer than anyone else.
Mignani has made them slightly harder to beat, but both of his games were draws and both came against mid-table opposition. The attack is the other concern. Pietro Iemmello is the only player with more than one league goal, with two, and the side have scored 11 times all season despite 1.36 expected goals per game.
What works for or against Catanzaro
- Two draws under Mignani since the coaching change.
- 22 goals conceded, the most in Serie B.
- No away league win this season.
- Last league win came on 12 September.
Cesena vs Catanzaro Odds
Match Result
Double Chance
Handicap
Over/Under
Both Teams to Score
Half-Time/Full-Time
Cesena vs. Catanzaro Stats Comparison
Show Recent Results
Cesena vs. Catanzaro Form Guide
Cesena Form, Stats & Data
Cesena’s underlying numbers are better than their place in the table. They create slightly more than they concede, and their goals against are higher than the chances they allow, which points to some poor luck rather than a structural problem. With Shpendi fit, I expect them to have enough to trouble the weakest defence in the league.
Catanzaro Form, Stats & Data
Catanzaro have more of the ball than Cesena on average, but 2.03 expected goals conceded per match is a relegation-level number, and their goals against are worse still. The new coach has added some resilience, but I have not yet seen enough to think the away record is about to change.
Cesena vs Catanzaro: Prediction & Betting Tip
Cesena are unbeaten at home, have the league’s top scorer available and face the side with the worst defence and no away win. The facts point clearly towards the hosts, and I think they are more likely to win this than not.
The danger is the draw. Four of Cesena’s five home games have finished level, they concede in every match, and teams often tighten up in the first weeks under a new coach, as Catanzaro’s two draws under Mignani show. That is exactly why I am taking the draw out of the equation instead of backing the home win at 1.98. Cesena Draw No Bet at 1.48 with Winz is my bet at 5/10, and I expect a 2-1 home win.