Como face Hellas Verona in crucial Serie A clash
Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi hosts a fixture heavy with contrasting emotions on 10 May 2026, as 19th-placed Hellas Verona welcome surprise European contenders Como in Serie A. For Verona, this is about pride and the faint hope of a late escape from relegation; for Como, sitting 6th and in the hunt for a Conference League qualification spot, it is about consolidating a breakthrough season.
Context and stakes
In the league, Hellas Verona arrive in deep trouble. Nineteenth with 20 points from 35 matches, they are locked in the relegation zone, burdened by a goal difference of -33 and a run of form that reads “DDLLL”. Just three wins all season, and only one at home, underline the scale of their problems.
Como, by contrast, have been one of Serie A’s revelations. Sixth place with 62 points, a goal difference of +31 and just seven defeats in 35 matches speak to a side that has combined attacking ambition with defensive control. Their form line “DWLLD” shows some recent inconsistency, but they remain well positioned for European football.
With only three rounds left in the regular season, every point is magnified: Verona are trying to stave off the drop, Como are protecting a precious top-six berth.
Hellas Verona: survival fight with blunt tools
The numbers paint a stark picture for Verona. Across all phases they have:
- Played 35, with 3 wins, 11 draws, 21 defeats
- Scored just 24 goals (0.7 per game) and conceded 57 (1.6 per game)
At the Bentegodi, the situation is even more worrying:
- Home record: 1 win, 5 draws, 11 losses from 17
- Goals for at home: 12 (0.7 per game)
- Goals against at home: 25 (1.5 per game)
- Failed to score in 9 of 17 home matches
- Only 3 home clean sheets
Tactically, Verona are heavily tied to three-at-the-back structures. Their most used formation is 3-5-2 (25 matches), with occasional switches to 3-4-2-1 and 3-5-1-1. This suggests a side that wants congestion in central areas, wing-backs providing width, and two forwards or one plus a support line trying to break in transition.
However, the low scoring output and high “failed to score” count indicate that the system has not translated into penetration. The fact their biggest home win is 3-1 and their heaviest home defeat is 0-3 shows they rarely blow teams away and can be comfortably contained.
One small positive is their discipline from the spot: 3 penalties taken, 3 scored, with no misses. In a tight, high-pressure match, that reliability could matter.
The defensive side shows strain too. A biggest losing streak of five matches and 57 goals conceded overall underline a fragile structure. The card profile is also notable: a high concentration of yellow and red cards in the second half, especially between 46-60 and 76-90 minutes, hints at a team that tires and resorts to late fouls under pressure.
Against a technically polished Como midfield and attack, Verona will likely lean into a compact 3-5-2, trying to clog central lanes, protect the box with numbers, and hope to exploit rare transitions or set pieces. But they will need an intensity and precision that have largely eluded them this season.
Como: balanced, structured and dangerous
Como’s season profile is that of a modern, well-drilled side:
- Overall: 17 wins, 11 draws, 7 defeats from 35
- Goals for: 59 (1.7 per game)
- Goals against: 28 (0.8 per game)
- 17 clean sheets and only 9 matches without scoring
Away from home, they have been impressive:
- Away record: 8 wins, 5 draws, 4 defeats from 17
- Goals for away: 25 (1.5 per game)
- Goals against away: 13 (0.8 per game)
- Eight away clean sheets
The tactical backbone is a 4-2-3-1, used in 31 matches. That gives them double pivot stability, a creative line of three, and a lone striker. Occasional shifts to 3-4-2-1 or 4-3-3 show they can adapt, but their identity is clear: control the midfield, press intelligently, and create high-quality chances rather than relying on chaos.
Key to this is Nicolás Paz. The 21-year-old Argentine midfielder has been one of Serie A’s standout performers:
- 34 appearances, 32 starts, 2794 minutes
- 12 goals and 6 assists
- 86 shots (48 on target)
- 51 key passes, 1354 total passes at 82% accuracy
- 89 tackles and 28 interceptions
Paz is not just a scorer; he is a complete midfield engine, combining ball progression, chance creation and defensive work. His penalty record is a weakness (0 scored, 2 missed), so he cannot be described as reliable from the spot, but in open play he is the heartbeat of Como’s attack.
Up front, Anastasios Douvikas offers a classic striker’s threat:
- 35 appearances, 22 starts, 2023 minutes
- 12 goals and 1 assist
- 43 shots (26 on target)
- 21 key passes, 78% pass accuracy
- 1 penalty scored, none missed
Douvikas’ movement and finishing complement Paz’s creativity, giving Como a reliable end product. Their biggest away win (1-5) and a high-scoring home win (6-0) underline the potential for this attack to explode if given space.
Defensively, conceding only 28 goals in 35 games with a strong clean-sheet count shows the back line and double pivot are well organised. Even away, they concede less than a goal per game, which will embolden them to push higher against a low-scoring Verona.
Head-to-head: Como on top
Looking at the last three competitive meetings (all in Serie A):
- 29 October 2025, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia: Como 3-1 Hellas Verona – Como home win.
- 18 May 2025, Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi: Hellas Verona 1-1 Como – draw.
- 29 September 2024, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia: Como 3-2 Hellas Verona – Como home win.
So across these three matches: Como have 2 wins, Verona have 0, with 1 draw. Como have consistently found ways to score, putting three past Verona in both home fixtures and avoiding defeat in Verona last time out.
Tactical battle
On paper, this is a clash between a struggling low-block side and a confident possession team.
- Verona will likely stay in a back three, pack the central lane and ask their wing-backs to track Como’s wide players. Their priority will be to keep the game slow, limit space for Paz between the lines, and avoid being pulled apart horizontally by Como’s 4-2-3-1 rotations.
- Como will look to pin Verona back with full-backs advancing and Paz operating between the lines. The double pivot should control transitions, preventing Verona from countering effectively. Douvikas’ movement between centre-backs in a back three can create confusion, especially if Verona’s midfield fails to protect the half-spaces.
Set pieces and discipline could be decisive. Verona’s card profile suggests late fouls and possible red cards under pressure; Como’s late red-card cluster (three reds between 76-90 minutes) shows they are not immune to losing control either. With both sides capable from penalties and Verona perfect from the spot this season, any incident in the box could swing momentum.
The verdict
All available data points to a Como advantage. They score more, concede far less, have a strong away record, and recent head-to-head results are in their favour. Verona’s home form is among the worst in the league, with minimal attacking threat and a porous defence.
Given Como’s structured 4-2-3-1, the influence of Nicolás Paz and the finishing of Anastasios Douvikas, the visitors should have enough to control the tempo and create the better chances. Verona’s best hope lies in turning this into a scrappy, low-tempo battle and capitalising on set pieces or individual errors.
Logically, Como travel to Verona as firm favourites to take at least a point, and the balance of evidence suggests they are well placed to claim all three.
