Cagliari will be looking for their first three points as they host AC Milan in the Serie A. The hosts are second from the bottom of the standings with just two points. The visitors are second after winning four of their first five games.
Preview (Cagliari vs. AC Milan)
Cagliari was promoted via the Serie B playoffs last year. The Sardinian team has had trouble adjusting to the demands of the top level. They are winless in 2023–24 with two wins and three losses. In goalless draws with Torino and Udinese, the Islanders showed energy and tenacity. They were severely outplayed in losses to Inter Milan, Bologna, and Atalanta. On Sunday, a 2-0 defeat to La Dea extended the club’s losing streak. Only bottom-place Empoli has scored fewer Serie A goals than Cagliari this season. It is even worse for Claudio Ranieri’s team.
Furthermore, Cagliari’s offensive ineptitude is highlighted by the fact that they have only attempted six attempts on goal through their first five games this season, with 21-year-old Angolan attacker Zito Luvumbo scoring the Islanders’ lone goal in 2023–24. Rafael Leao’s eighth-minute goal gave AC Milan a 1-0 victory over Hellas Verona last weekend. As a result, Stefano Pioli’s team is currently three points behind Inter Milan in the early standings. In fact, Inter defeated the Rossoneri 5-1 earlier this month to grab the Derby della Madonnina bragging rights from Milan. They suffered their lone loss of the campaign against their old rivals in embarrassing circumstances.
The hammering versus Inter was somewhat unexpected after Pioli’s team opened their season with three straight victories, defeating Bologna, Torino, and Roma while scoring a combined eight goals. However, Milan have since bounced back. The Rossoneri returned to winning ways against Verona their most recent outing, putting them in position for Wednesday’s matchup against winless Cagliari. This came after a magnificent performance in a goalless draw with Newcastle United in the Champions League.
Team News
Gianluca Lapadula (ankle) and Marko Rog (knee) will be out of commission for the foreseeable future for Cagliari, and Elio Capradossi, Jacopo Desogus, Alessandro Di Pardo, Jakub Jankto, and Leonardo Pavoletti are also questionable for Wednesday’s match. Despite the Islanders’ difficulties, Ranieri is most likely to stick with his preferred 3-5-2 configuration, which places Eldor Shomurodov with Luvumbo in attack while Pantelis Chatzidiakos, Alberto Dossena, and Adam Obert play in the defense.
Ismael Bennacer (knee), Mattia Caldara (ankle), Pierre Kalulu (muscle), and Mike Maignan (thigh), on the other hand, appear to be out of the Milan squad for the journey to Sardinia, and Rade Krunic’s fitness is in doubt. In a 4-2-3-1 configuration, Leao, Christian Pulisic, and Yunus Musah will provide attacking support ahead of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tijjani Reijnders. Veteran striker Olivier Giroud will continue to play as the lone striker.
Cagliari 0 – 3 AC Milan
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