Cagliari take on the visitors AC Milan in the round 18 match of Italian Serie A. The match will be played on Friday, January 2nd at Unipol Domus (Cagliari).
Cagliari not so long ago lost their place in Serie A. However, Ranieri managed not only to bring the team back to the top division, even with very modest numbers. Later, after Claudio retired, that result was almost repeated: just 36 points, less than one per game on average, but still as high as 14th place in the final table. Now the story is largely repeating itself: weak statistics, but most importantly, there are still weaker sides around, allowing Cagliari to stay above the relegation zone. After a series of setbacks, they surprised many by beating Roma, who are fighting near the top. On the other hand, they dropped two points at home against Pisa by conceding in the 89th minute to make it 2-2. Still, they then managed to take all three points away at Torino, sealing a crucial away victory. Overall, recent results show that Cagliari are capable of grinding out points even when performances are far from convincing. Their form suggests resilience and an ability to compete in tight matches against both direct rivals and stronger opponents.
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Milan want to reclaim lost ground. Last season, after deciding not to continue with Pioli, the Rossoneri paid the price with a disappointing campaign. Almost everything went wrong, apart from the Super Cup won at the very start under Sérgio Conceição a year ago. He then faded, just like his predecessor Paulo Fonseca: an early exit from the Champions League, a drop from second to eighth place in Serie A, and finally a defeat in the cup final. Now, with Allegri back in charge, Milan have not just improved, they are seriously challenging for the top positions. Still, there was only a home draw against Sassuolo. Verona, however, were convincingly beaten in the last round, with a 3-0 win for the favorites. At the same time, Milan lost away to Lazio in the cup. And after pausing their league campaign, they immediately suffered a 0-2 defeat to Napoli in the Super Cup. Despite some mixed results, Milan’s league form has become more stable and convincing in recent weeks. Their performances suggest growing control in matches and a clear intention to push closer to the summit.
Naturally, the Rossoneri have a clear advantage in head-to-head encounters. However, last season both matches between these sides ended in draws. The Rossoneri are the clear favorites here and are expected to confirm that status with a victory.
Prediction for the match: AC Milan to win.
