Serie A: Verona and Cremonese Share Points in Goalless Draw; Vardy Makes Debut

Hellas Verona and Cremonese played out a goalless draw at the Bentegodi on Monday night. The match notably marked the Serie A debut of former Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy, who remained quiet during his first appearance.

Vardy began the game on the bench, as Cremonese manager Davide Nicola made only one alteration to the lineup that had previously secured a 3-2 victory over Sassuolo before the international break. Verona, in contrast, made four changes after their recent 4-0 loss to Lazio, indicating a search for stability.

Verona created the majority of early opportunities, with Brazilian forward Giovane testing the opposition goalkeeper on several occasions. Gift Orban missed a clear chance just ten minutes before halftime; after receiving a pass from Suat Serdar, he took an extra touch, which allowed Emil Audero to make a crucial save at his near post.

Roberto Gagliardini endured a disappointing debut for Verona, being substituted after only half an hour due to what appeared to be a dislocated shoulder. This early injury forced an unforeseen change in Verona`s tactical setup.

Jamie Vardy, the former England international, entered the fray just before the hour mark at the Bentegodi, making his debut alongside Jeremy Sarmiento and Alberto Grassi. They replaced Federico Bonazzoli, Jari Vandeputte, and Warren Bondo, as Cremonese sought to inject fresh attacking impetus.

Cremonese attempted to utilize Vardy`s renowned pace with through balls aimed behind Verona`s defense, but Verona`s organized backline effectively neutralized these threats, limiting Cremonese`s attacking opportunities throughout the match. With ten minutes remaining, Vardy attempted a flick from Franco Vasquez`s hopeful cross into the box, but Lorenzo Montipo comfortably dealt with it, ensuring the clean sheet.

Ultimately, neither team managed to find the back of the net, resulting in a stalemate. This result leaves Verona in 16th position with two points from three matches, while Cremonese maintains their unbeaten streak, accumulating seven points from their opening three games of the 2025-26 Serie A campaign.