Cagliari vs Como Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 Italian Serie A
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After their great escape last season, Cagliari have appointed the master of the great escape in Italy in Davide Nicola. They began with a goalless draw against Roma and now welcome newly-promoted Como to Sardinia.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Monday 26th August, 2024 - UK – 5:30pm / US ET – 12:30pm / US PT – 9:30am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – Select matches will be televised on CBS Sports so it is worth checking their schedule
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – OneFootball / US – Paramount+
CAGLIARI PREVIEW: CONTINUING CLAUDIO’S WORK IN CAGLIARI
Claudio Ranieri retired where he began at Cagliari last year with the Sardinians managing to avoid relegation on the penultimate day of the season. He has been replaced by Davide Nicola, who has led Crotone and Salernitana before Empoli just last season, away from situations in which they appeared destined to return to Serie B.
The home team began their season with a very Nicola, and even a very Ranieri, style game. They welcomed Daniele De Rossi’s Roma to the island of Sardinia and shared a goalless draw with the Giallorossi in a game in which there were just five shots on target and they had just 42% of the ball.
COMO PREVIEW: TOUGH START TO LIFE BACK IN SERIE A
Last season, Oisin Roberts was officially in charge of Como as they finished as runners’ up in Serie B whilst Cesc Fabregas officially completed his coaching badges. Over the summer, Roberts has become Head of Development and Cesc Fabregas is now officially in charge of the club.
After making some big name signings, such as Pepe Reina, Alberto Moreno, Raphael Varane and Andrea Belotti, the picturesque setting of Como began their season in Turin with a frustrating 3-0 hammering at the hands of Juventus in which their performance could be described as naïve and very much a work in progress.
CAGLIARI TEAM NEWS: POTENTIALLY UNCHANGED
New signing Nadir Zortea, who joined Cagliari early in the summer, remains a doubt for this weekend’s clash but he is their only injury issue for their second game of the season.
The home team do not have major issues and Davide Nicola will be able to name an unchanged side for this one after an effective display against Lazio last week.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Scuffet; Zappa, Wieteska, Luperto; Azzi, Deiola, Prati, Marin, Augello; Luvumbo, Piccoli
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE: Zortea (Injured)
COMO TEAM NEWS: FRUSTRATING ISSUES
Frustratingly for Cesc Fabregas and Como, one of their star new names, Raphael Varane, suffered a knee injury soon after arriving and he is sidelined for quite a while.
Daniele Baselli and Oliver Abildgaard are both also unavailable for this weekend with Luca Mazzitelli a doubt. It is unclear as to whether another new signing, Sergi Roberto, could make a debut this weekend.
PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Pepe Reina; Alberto Moreno, Goldaniga, Barba, Sala; Strefezza, Braunoder, Engelhardt, Da Cunha; Cutrone, Belotti
UNAVAILABLE: Baselli (Injured), Varane (Injured), Abildgaard (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Mazzitelli (Injured)
CAGLIARI VS COMO PREDICTION
There is a chance this is an extremely dull contest for the neutral. Cagliari are a naturally defensive team anyway and that will only be even more obvious under the management of Davide Nicola. Como are seeking to play what is a sophisticated and progressive style of football but that could be quite ineffective until they get to grips with the top-flight so a low-scoring encounter is to be expected.
CAGLIARI VS COMO TIP: UNDER 2.5 GOALS
