Our prediction for this Serie A match:
After surviving Verona at the weekend, Milan will look to put an extra pressure on league leaders Inter when they face Cagliari on Wednesday. The Rossoneri quickly bounced back from the Derby della Madonnina defeat, with the team regaining a much-needed confidence, but they do not want to stop now. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is widely expected to return to the starting XI, while the likes of Mike Maignan, Mattia Caldara, Pierre Kalulu, and Ismael Bennacer remain in the treatment room.
The Rossoblu, on the other hand, have yet to record a win in the new Serie A campaign, which is probably the main reason why we are going to bet on the title-chasing visitors. The likes of Jakub Jankto, Leonardo Pavoletti, Gaston Pereiro, Gianluca Lapadula, and Marko Rog should miss out through injuries for the home team. In their last meeting in Sardinia Milan defeated Cagliari thanks to Ismael Bennacer’s goal.
Highlighted Player (Alessandro Florenzi):
Alessandro Florenzi is probably the most impressive product of AS Roma youth academy since Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi, and the full-back has already developed into an important player for both club and country.
Capable of operating as both right-back and right winger, the talented footballer is probably best remembered from scoring a marvellous goal from half-way line in the Champions League clash against Barcelona, but there is much more to him than an occasional wonder strike. While he usually played as a winger during his early career, Florenzi switched to attacking full-back at both Roma and Italy national team, and that proved a very good move for his career.
While helping the Gialorossi return to old glory days, the right-back left his mark on international stage as well, especially impressing since Antonio Conte took over the reigns in the national team. Despite the fact that he has yet to realise his full potential, Florenzi already boasts an impressive top flight experience and he is predicted a bright future in the game.
Highlighted Team (Cagliari):
Cagliari are a professional football club based in Cagliari, Sardinia. I Rossoblu (The Red and Blues) compete in Italian Serie A and the club’s biggest success came in 1970, when they won the national championship.
Cagliari finished the season in top position in the standings, four points clear of Juventus and it has to be noted that Luigi Riva led Cagliari to their first Serie A trophy.
I Rossoblu welcome their rivals at Stadio Sant’Elia and the capacity of the stadium is 16,000. In the 1993/1994 season Cagliari made it to the UEFA Cup semis, with the team suffering a loss to fellow Italian club Inter in the two-legged tie.
Giuseppe Pancaro helped Cagliari record a 3-2 win over Inter in the first leg, but I Rossoblu were hammered by the Nerazzurri in the second leg (3-0). Palermo are regarded as Cagliari’s main rivals and the two teams square off against each other in the Derby delle Isole.