- Ascoli have won two and lost three of their last five fixtures.
- Potenza Calcio are unbeaten in their last five matches (Won three, drawn two).
- Ascoli's all-competitions form across their last 10 matches is (Won six, lost four).
Potenza can give Ascoli a proper Cup fight
Ascoli will need to put a run of consecutive defeats behind them if they are to avoid taking any momentum into this weekend's Coppa Italia 2026-2027 clash with Potenza Calcio.
The hosts have won four and lost one of their last five at Stadio Ciro Vigorito and have plundered 11 goals across those five home matches, but their form has been streaky lately.
Massimo Carrera, who took the helm at Ascoli on 12 March 2024, has built his team around a high line and an aggressive counter-pressing 4-2-3-1 system that should see them control the ball and territory. On Saturday, they should fancy their chances of pinning Potenza back and exposing the visitors when they do get the ball in the half-spaces.
Ivan Tisci's men have a slightly different approach, or at least they have been set up more pragmatically this season. They play a 4-3-3 shape that can morph into a compact block or other, more contained systems if the need arises, and they will look to sit in and spring forward when possible.
Hosts have the momentum, but home advantage is rarely guaranteed
Potenza are an interesting team because they have enough forward pace and quality in the middle of the pitch to make it difficult for teams to keep them out if they get over-committed and lose shape in transition. Carrera's team will push up, they will have the ball and they will need to be careful.
Potenza have won their last two consecutive matches and arrive with the swagger of a team that has enjoyed a good run of results that has included no defeats in their last five.
Ascoli are the favourite here at 1.63, with the visitors at 5.0, so the market is firmly on the home side to record a fairly comfortable victory. However, we feel that it could be tighter than that, and the draw at 3.6 is certainly too big considering Ascoli have lost their last two and Potenza are on a good roll.
The numbers back a cagey cup encounter
We don't expect Potenza to get overwhelmed by Ascoli's pressing style as they have the patience to let it flow and the players to counter in a dangerous way. Potenza's away form is two wins, one draw and two losses in their last five trips, so they are consistent enough to suggest they can keep it tight.
The under 2.5 goals at 1.87 and both teams not to score (BTTS-No) at 1.77 are both appealing as the likely outcome is a cagey game in which the margin of victory, if any, is likely to be slim.
