Cagliari will face off against AC Milan at the Unipol Domus in a Serie A match on Saturday.
Cagliari
Cagliari is looking to bounce back after a 2-1 defeat to Lazio in their last Serie A match. In that game, they held 46% possession and took six shots, with only one on target, scored by Zito Luvumbo. Lazio scored twice, with goals from Boulaye Dia and Mattia Zaccagni.
Cagliari’s defense has been vulnerable, conceding in each of their last six matches for a total of 11 goals. They’ll be aiming for better defensive performance, though they have struggled historically against AC Milan, failing to secure a win in their last 12 league matchups.
AC Milan
AC Milan heads into this game following a strong 3-1 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League. In that match, they held 43% possession, created 14 chances with nine on target, and saw goals from Malick Thiaw, Álvaro Morata, and Tijani Reijnders.
Under Paulo Fonseca, Milan has scored and conceded six goals over their last six matches. Milan has an impressive record against Cagliari, remaining unbeaten in their last six league away games.
Head-to-Head
The recent history between these teams, dating back to May 2021, shows Cagliari struggling against Milan, who has won 83% of their encounters.
In those matches, 21 goals were scored, with Milan netting 17 and Cagliari just 4. Their last meeting ended with a dominant 5-1 win for AC Milan, featuring goals from Ismaël Bennacer, Christian Pulišić (twice), Tijani Reijnders, and Rafael Leão.
Team News
Cagliari is likely to field a 4-4-1-1 formation, including players like Simone Scuffet, Gabriele Zappa, Jose Luis Palomino, and Zito Luvumbo. AC Milan has some fitness concerns, as Matteo Gabbia, Ismaël Bennacer, and Alessandro Florenzi are unavailable. Milan might opt for a 4-2-3-1 setup, with Mike Maignan, Emerson Royal, Malick Thiaw, and Rafael Leão expected to start.
Prediction
Although Cagliari may score, AC Milan is likely to edge out a close win. A 2-1 victory for Milan is anticipated, with the game expected to have over 1.5 goals.
