The Serie A clash at the Unipol Domus on Saturday sees Cagliari facing off against AC Milan.
Cagliari
Cagliari is looking to bounce back after a 2-1 defeat to Lazio in their last Serie A game, where they held 46% possession and recorded six shots, though only one was on target. Zito Luvumbo scored Cagliari’s only goal, while Lazio scored twice through Boulaye Dia and Mattia Zaccagni.
Cagliari’s recent defensive issues have been evident, as they’ve conceded in each of their last six games, totaling 11 goals. They’ll aim to tighten up defensively, but history is not on their side as they haven’t beaten AC Milan in their last 12 league encounters.
AC Milan
AC Milan enters this match fresh off a 3-1 Champions League victory against Real Madrid. In that game, Milan held 43% possession and had 14 shots, with nine on target, with goals scored by Malick Thiaw, Álvaro Morata, and Tijani Reijnders.
Under Paulo Fonseca, Milan has scored six goals and conceded six across their last six matches. Milan has a solid record away against Cagliari, staying unbeaten in their previous six away league games in this matchup.
Head-to-Head
Looking at the recent head-to-head record since May 2021, Cagliari has struggled against AC Milan, who have won 83% of these games. Across these encounters, 21 goals were scored, with Milan netting 17 and Cagliari 4. Their last meeting ended in a decisive 5-1 win for AC Milan, with goals from Ismaël Bennacer, Christian Pulišić (twice), Tijani Reijnders, and Rafael Leão.
Team News
Cagliari is expected to play in a 4-4-1-1 formation, with likely starters including Simone Scuffet, Gabriele Zappa, Jose Luis Palomino, and Zito Luvumbo.
AC Milan, managed by Paulo Fonseca, has some injury concerns, with Matteo Gabbia, Ismaël Bennacer, and Alessandro Florenzi sidelined. Milan is anticipated to field a 4-2-3-1 lineup featuring Mike Maignan, Emerson Royal, Malick Thiaw, and Rafael Leão.
Prediction
Cagliari might manage to score, but AC Milan is expected to come out on top with a narrow victory. A 2-1 win for Milan is predicted, with the match likely to see over 1.5 goals.
