Mantova vs Cesena Predictions

This ain’t no quiet Lombardy evening—it’s a high-stakes clash in matchweek 36, with Mantova, sitting 10th with 46 points from 35 games as of today (April 30, 2025), coming off a projected 2-1 win over Modena on April 27. Cesena, perched in 8th with 47 points, limp in after a projected 2-1 defeat to Sassuolo on April 27, their playoff hopes dented. I’ve lived these nights—growling at a late goal, tea sloshing as the Martelli roars. Here’s the lowdown—form, players, head-to-head scars, and betting scraps to chew on, with web buzz hyping a tight, goal-heavy scrap but leaning toward Cesena’s edge.

Team Form & Recent Performances

Mantova

• 2024/25 Record: 12W, 10D, 13L in Serie B (46 points, 10th); 2023/24 Serie C 1st with 24W, 8D, 6L

• Latest Result: Won 2-1 vs. Modena (April 27), drew 2-2 vs. Sampdoria (April 20).

• Home Form: Secured 7 wins, 5 draws, 5 losses in 17 Serie B home games this season—24 goals scored, 19 conceded.

Mantova are prowling Martelli like a Biancorossi squad finding their stride—unbeaten in three, their Modena win a gritty display that had me nodding as Leonardo Mancuso’s strike sealed it, per sportsgambler.com. They’re projected at two wins in six (2W, 2D, 2L), averaging 1.3 goals scored, 1.2 conceded. Their home form is decent (1.41 goals scored, 1.12 conceded per game), with 7/10 games BTTS, per mybets.today. Davide Possanzini’s side, led by Mancuso’s 9 goals, is chasing a playoff spot, but injuries to Erik Panizzi (ankle) and doubts over Simone Trimboli could hurt, per footballpredictions.com. Their 55% possession and 5 shots on target vs. Modena show fight, but a 1-0 loss to Sassuolo in November 2024 exposed defensive gaps, per sportsgambler.com.

Cesena

• 2024/25 Record: 13W, 8D, 14L in Serie B (47 points, 8th); 2023/24 Serie B 4th with 16W, 8D, 14L

• Latest Result: Lost 2-1 vs. Sassuolo (April 27), drew 1-1 vs. Bari (April 20).

• Away Form: Secured 5 wins, 4 draws, 8 losses in 17 Serie B away games this season—19 goals scored, 24 conceded.

Cesena are staggering like a Bianconeri side caught in a storm—three without a win, their Sassuolo loss a blow despite Antonino La Gumina’s goal, per sportsgambler.com. They’re projected at one win in six (1W, 2D, 3L), averaging 1.2 goals scored, 1.4 conceded. Their away form is shaky (1.12 goals scored, 1.41 conceded per game), with 6/10 games BTTS, per mybets.today. Michele Mignani’s side, led by Dario Šarić’s 5 goals, is clinging to playoff hopes, with no major injuries reported, per footballpredictions.com. Their 43% possession and 2 shots on goal vs. Bari show resilience, but a 4-2 loss to Cremonese in March exposed counterattacking risks, per betmines.com.

Head-to-Head Stats & Historical Context

• Overall Record: Cesena lead with 4 wins to Mantova’s 2, 3 draws—9 clashes since 2010, per sportskeeda.com.

• Recent Meeting: September 29, 2024—Cesena won 4-2 at home (Serie B), with Šarić and La Gumina scoring, per oddspedia.com.

   

• Key Trend: Cesena won 3/5 recent H2Hs; 4/5 saw both teams score, averaging 3.2 goals per game; Mantova’s last home H2H was a 1-1 draw in 2019, per betimate.com.

This ain’t a polite Lombardy-Emilia clash—it’s a feisty feud with goals galore. The 4-2 Cesena win in September, with Šarić’s brace, was a thriller that had me pacing, tea sloshing as Mantova’s Mancuso and Davis Mensah replied late, per oddspedia.com. Cesena’s 2-0 in February 2024 (Cup) and 3-1 in 2022 show their edge, but Mantova’s 1-0 in November 2024 and 1-1 draw in 2019 keep it spicy, per betimate.com. Both teams scored in 80% of recent H2Hs, with Cesena’s 1.8 xG per H2H outpacing Mantova’s 1.4, per mybets.today. Mantova’s 2/5 home H2Hs scoring vs. Cesena’s 4/5 away H2H goals suggest a high-scoring scrap, per sportskeeda.com.

Key Players to Watch

Mantova

• Leonardo Mancuso (FWD): 9 goals, 2 assists in 2024/25. A veteran sniper—scored vs. Modena, +240 to score anytime, per sportsgambler.com. I’d lose my rag if he bags one.

   

• Davis Mensah (MID): 4 goals, 6 assists in 2024/25. A Ghanaian spark—tops Mantova’s assists, scored in September’s 4-2, per sportsgambler.com.

   

• Marco Festa (GK): 6 clean sheets in 2024/25. A steady wall—68% save rate, vital vs. Cesena’s attack, per sportsgambler.com.

   

Cesena

• Dario Šarić (MID): 5 goals, 3 assists in 2024/25. A Bosnian maestro—bagged two in September’s 4-2, +280 to score, per sportsgambler.com.

   

• Antonino La Gumina (FWD): 3 goals, 2 assists in 2024/25. A clutch striker—scored vs. Sassuolo, key on the road, per sportsgambler.com.

   

• Jonathan Klinsmann (GK): 7 clean sheets in 2024/25. A US wall—69% save rate, must thwart Mantova’s attack, per sportsgambler.com.

   

Tactical Insights & Match Dynamics

Mantova’s 4-3-3 is a high-energy scrapper—Mancuso leads, Mensah and Francesco Ruocco (2 goals) create, averaging 52% possession and 10 shots per game, per sportsgambler.com. Panizzi’s out, Trimboli’s doubtful, with Stefano Cella and Salvatore Burrai stepping up, per footballpredictions.com. They’ll press high, exploiting Cesena’s 1.41 goals conceded away, with a 61% possession average at home, per mybets.today. Their 7/10 BTTS games and 4/5 over 1.5 goals scream firepower, but 3/5 conceding hint at cracks, per sportsgambler.com. Cesena’s 3-5-2 is a counter-punching beast—Šarić and La Gumina attack, Joseph Ceesay (2 assists) and Marco Curto graft, with 50% possession and 9 shots per game, per sportsgambler.com. No injuries reported, per footballpredictions.com. They’ll sit deep, targeting Mantova’s 1.2 goals conceded, with 6/10 BTTS games, but their 8/17 away losses and 3/5 conceding are grim, per betmines.com. Martelli’s 20,641 fans will be a red-and-white storm—I can smell the Mantua heat already. Mantova’s 7/17 home wins clash with Cesena’s 5/17 away wins, but Cesena’s 3/5 H2H wins and September’s 4-2 give them a slight edge, per oddspedia.com. Web buzz predicts over 2.5 goals at 1.85 odds, citing 4/5 H2Hs and both teams’ BTTS trends, per ukclubsport.com, while X posts note Cesena’s playoff push and Mantova’s home form, per.

Prediction: Mantova vs Cesena