Juventus travel to the Unipol Domus on Sunday evening to face Cagliari in Serie A, with both sides separated by only two points after the opening five rounds.
Cagliari have been one of the surprise packages in the opening weeks of the Serie A season. Fabio Pisacane’s side have collected 12 points from five matches, winning four of those games and losing only to reigning champions Inter Milan. They head into this fixture after a narrow victory over Udinese.
Pisacane’s men have also impressed defensively, having conceded only two league goals so far. That gives them the best defensive record in the division, despite facing more shots than most of their rivals.
Their home form has been equally encouraging, with victories over Atalanta and Lecce already secured at the Unipol Domus. Cagliari will hope the long international break has not interrupted their rhythm as they prepare for one of their most difficult tests of the season.
Juventus have also made a mixed start to the new campaign under Luciano Spalletti, and there have been a few frustrating results along the way. They needed a late equaliser to draw with AC Milan before suffering a 3-2 defeat to Sassuolo, despite twice recovering from behind.
The Bianconeri responded impressively, beating NEC Nijmegen 5-0 in the Europa League before defeating Atalanta 2-0 in Turin. Their defensive record has been particularly impressive, with four clean sheets from six competitive fixtures.
However, Juventus will need to overcome an awkward recent record against Cagliari. They lost 1-0 in Sardinia last season and have won only two of their last five league meetings with the Rossoblu. Although Cagliari have lost seven of the last 10 encounters overall, the hosts’ current form makes this a demanding game.
Team News & Tactics
Cagliari
Fabio Pisacane has a few key injury issues to deal with, as the long international break has not provided the respite he might have hoped for at the start of it. Riyad Idrissi, Mattia Felici, Alessandro Deiola, and Yael Trepy are all considered out for the clash with Juventus.
There are significant doubts over Kevin Carlos’s involvement too, meaning the manager may have to make alterations to field his best possible lineup against Juventus. Pisacane is expected to continue with a back four, with Ze Pedro and Adam Obert in the full-back roles, while Juan Rodriguez and the experienced Yerry Mina operate centrally.
Harry Winks is the Pisacane’s choice for the holding midfield berth, with Alessandro Romano and Michel Adopo on either side of the Englishman. Daniel Maldini and Jacopo Fazzini are likely to be preferred in the attacking areas, while Paul Mendy will lead the line for Cagliari against Juventus.
Probable Lineup (4-3-2-1): Caprile; Pedro, Rodriguez, Mina, Obert; Romano, Winks, Adopo; Maldini, Fazzini; Mendy
Juventus
Juventus have a far more extensive injury list, as Luciano Spalletti continues to be without some of his key players, particularly in midfield. Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli remain sidelined for the time being, while star attacker Kenan Yildiz is also out for the foreseeable future. The others include Kamil Grabara, Jeremie Boga and Jeff Ekhator.
Spalletti might select Lloyd Kelly instead of Jhon Lucumi in the central defensive unit, while Gleison Bremer should continue to retain his place in the lineup. Similarly, Pierre Kalulu is expected to continue at right-back, while Andrea Cambiaso could be chosen for the left-back role.
With a depleted midfield still an issue, both in terms of the starting options and squad depth, Douglas Luiz and Pape Matar Sarr are currently the manager’s main choices. Edon Zhegrova has been a decent performer, although it may take a few more displays for him to be selected ahead of Francisco Conceicao.
Weston McKennie could occupy the central attacking position, while Kerim Alajbegovic is expected to continue deputising for the injured Yildiz. The misfiring Randal Kolo Muani will get another chance to lead the line for Juventus when they take on Cagliari, although another below-par display could hand Nick Woltemade an opportunity.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Sarr, Luiz; Conceicao, McKennie, Alajbegovic; Kolo Muani
Key Stats
- Cagliari have conceded just two goals in their opening five Serie A matches, the joint-best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues.
- Cagliari have won four of their five league matches this season.
- Juventus have kept four clean sheets in six competitive matches this season.
- Juventus have won only two of their last five Serie A meetings with Cagliari.
Player to Watch
Randal Kolo Muani
Randal Kolo Muani will be determined to end his wait for a Serie A goal when Juventus travel to Sardinia. The French forward has started all five league matches but has managed only 11 shots and has yet to find the net since returning to Turin.
The French striker will need to become more involved in the final third and make better use of the chances that come his way. If he can finally find his scoring touch, Juventus will have a stronger chance of leaving with three points.
Prediction
Cagliari 0-1 Juventus
Cagliari’s form and defensive record make this a difficult game for Juventus, particularly at their home ground. However, the Bianconeri have conceded very few chances this season and have lost only once in their last eight Serie A away matches, dating back to last season.
The international break may have disrupted Cagliari’s momentum, while Juventus should have enough experience and quality to control a tight contest. A narrow victory for the visitors appears the most likely outcome.