Position: 19th
Points: 27
Previous season: Serie B
Best scorer: Daniel Ciofani, eight goals in 32 Serie A games
Rating: 4/10
Season Overview
The first half of the 2022-23 Serie A season could not have gone any worse in terms of league results for Cremonese. The team went without a win for their first 23 matches of the season, a spell which spilt well into the new year. Including their results from their previous stint in the top flight back in 1994, La Cremo equalled the record for the longest winless streak in Serie A history (30). It was the polar opposite in the Coppa Italia, however, as Cremonese embarked on a fairytale journey, culminating in a first-ever appearance in the semi-final stage of the competition. Despite picking up four more wins in the league by the end of the season, the damage had already been done and Cremonese were relegated. Although, they did eventually manage to drag themselves off the foot of the table, finishing the year in 19th.
Turnaround Moment
Cremonese’s turnaround moment of the 2022-23 season is also, by far, their most high-profile. The 2-1 win over Roma at the Stadium Giovanni Zini became infamous for Jose Mourinho’s blockbuster clash with fourth official Marco Serra, which triggered a media frenzy and suspensions for the coach and assistant referee alike. The game was also massively important from Cremonese’s perspective. It had, of course, been their first win of the season, ending their 30-game run without a win in Serie A, and they did it against the Special One of all people. The win must have also given the players the much-needed belief that they were in fact capable of winning in the top flight, and eventually, they finished with five for the season.
The Coaches – Massimiliano Alvini and Davide Ballardini
It has been a year of upheaval in the managerial hot seat since Cremonese won promotion to Serie A last May. Fabio Pecchia resigned from his post in June, despite spearheading the club’s promotion campaign in 2021-22. Massimiliano Alvini was named as his successor shortly afterwards, but was, in turn, relieved of his duties midway through the season, having failed to win any of his 18 matches in Serie A. Cremonese were already in need of a miracle by the time Davide Ballardini was appointed halfway through January, and in the end, the 59-year-old was not able to keep them up. That said, results did improve in the second half of the year and the run in the Coppa Italia was the silver lining in an otherwise long and testing season.
Player of the Season – Marco Carnesecchi
If any Cremonese player has come away from the 2022-23 campaign with their stocks having increased, it is likely to be goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi. The 22-year-old, still owned by Atalanta, spent his third consecutive season on loan with the Grigiorossi, and, despite the team’s collective misfortune on the pitch, Carnesecchi often shone individually. He ranked fourth in the division for saves made by the end of the season, despite being left out of 10 games. Roberto Mancini then rewarded the young ‘keeper with a call-up to the Azzurri squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against England and Malta in March and with his shot-stopping ability, might have also piqued the interest of some of the ‘bigger’ teams in Serie A.
Disappointing Player of the Season – Felix Afena Gyan
Cremonese spent a fairly hefty sum for a newly promoted side in acquiring the then-teenage Felix Afena-Gyan from Roma last summer. His signing was a statement at the time, given the opportunities handed to him by Mourinho in the capital the season prior. However, Afena-Gyan failed to establish himself in Cremonese’s first team picture this season, registering 23 league appearances, only seven of which were starts. There were also no goals and just the one assist against Torino in February to show for it as well. He did manage to find the net twice in the Coppa Italia, most notably against Napoli in the Round of 16, which was arguably one of the team’s highlights of the season.