Pisa quickly replaced Alberto Gilardino. This leadership change may provide the immediate performance boost the team needs.
| Serie A relegation battle | Odds |
|---|---|
| Pisa to beat Hellas Verona | 3.30 |
| Parma to beat Hellas Verona | 2.37 |
Odds courtesy of Betway. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
The situation at the foot of Serie A
Having played 23 games in the Italian top-flight, Hellas Verona and Pisa are tied at the bottom of the table with just 14 points each. They trail Fiorentina by three points and Lecce, currently in 17th place, by four. Cremonese and Genoa, who have 23 points, remain at risk of being drawn into the relegation struggle if their form declines.
Among the bottom five teams, Fiorentina are the only side to have secured a victory in their last five outings. Consequently, Verona and Pisa decided that coaching changes were necessary, leading to the departures of Paolo Zanetti and Alberto Gilardino. Oscar Hiljemark is set to be announced for I Torri, while the former have Paolo Sammarco in charge as interim manager.
Pisa’s decisive appointment of Hiljemark could provide a significant advantage. Meanwhile, Verona’s indecisiveness could hinder their chances of avoiding relegation. We will examine their upcoming fixtures to identify how these developments might influence betting opportunities.
Backing a Pisan resurgence
Hiljemark has the opportunity to make a huge instant impact with Pisa. His first game in charge will be against Verona, and his third is a visit to fellow-strugglers, Fiorentina. Securing six points from those matches is a realistic goal that could lift the club out of the bottom three.
While these two matches are away from home, Pisa have historically performed better on the road than at their own stadium this season. This away form, combined with Verona’s poor home record of seven losses across their last nine games at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi, favours the visitors.
With the Swede’s new tactical approach and a series of winnable games before May 24th, Pisa have a strong chance of staying in the division. They are scheduled to face all other teams in the bottom seven and only need to bridge a four-point gap to escape the relegation zone.
Verona’s difficult outlook
The prospects for Hellas Verona appear much more challenging. They’ve lost four consecutive home games, won only once away all season, and possess the worst goal difference in Serie A. Paolo Sammarco takes charge this weekend, but there is still no confirmation regarding a permanent manager for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign.
Gli Scaligeri face a demanding schedule as well. Their last six games include difficult fixtures against AC Milan, Juventus, Como, Inter Milan, and Roma. Kieron Bowie has joined to bolster their attack, but it’s unlikely that he’ll make an immediate difference.
Given these factors, it could be worth backing Pisa in upcoming games, with the exception of their games against AC Milan. As for Verona, barring a rapid and significant change in circumstances, relegation to Serie B seems the most probable outcome.