As Serie A action resumes this weekend, Juventus welcomes Cagliari to the Allianz Stadium in Turin for a Sunday lunchtime fixture. The match presents an intriguing contrast between a title-chasing Juventus and a Cagliari side fighting to establish themselves in the top flight.
Juventus enters the game in fine form, having secured back-to-back away victories. Most recently, they demonstrated remarkable resilience in a thrilling 3-2 Champions League win over RB Leipzig, overcoming both an early injury to Bremer and a red card for goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio. This victory followed a convincing 3-0 league triumph against Genoa, pushing the Bianconeri to within touching distance of the Serie A summit.
Under new manager Thiago Motta, Juventus has shown impressive defensive solidity. They’ve kept clean sheets in all six of their Serie A matches this season, setting a new club record. Only three teams in Serie A history have managed seven consecutive clean sheets to start a season, a feat Juventus will be eager to match.
Cagliari, meanwhile, arrives in Turin buoyed by their first league victory of the season – a dramatic 3-2 win over Parma. This crucial result lifted them out of the relegation zone to 16th place. Despite this positive outcome, Cagliari’s overall form has been concerning, with three consecutive defeats preceding their recent win.
The historical head-to-head heavily favors Juventus, who have won their last seven home league encounters against Cagliari, keeping five clean sheets in the process. Moreover, Cagliari has lost 12 of their last 14 top-flight matches against Juventus, conceding at least two goals in each of the last four meetings.
Dusan Vlahovic will be the player to watch for Juventus. The Serbian striker has an impressive record against Cagliari, having scored six goals in nine league appearances against them, including two direct free kicks.
Team News
Juventus faces a significant setback with the confirmation that Bremer suffered an ACL injury against Leipzig, sidelining him for several months. Federico Gatti is expected to partner Pierre Kalulu in central defense. Sergio Conceicao, who scored the winner midweek, could replace the injured Nico Gonzalez. Arkadiusz Milik is unavailable due to knee surgery, but Tim Weah might return to the squad.
For Cagliari, Mateusz Wieteska remains absent, while forwards Leonardo Pavoletti and Gianluca Lapadula are doubtful. Roberto Piccoli and Zito Luvumbo are likely to lead the attack, with support from either Nicolas Viola or Gianluca Gaetano.
Expected Starting XIs
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Danilo, Kalulu, Gatti, Cambiaso; Locatelli, McKennie; Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Vlahovic
Cagliari (4-2-3-1): Scuffet; Zappa, Mina, Luperto, Obert; Makoumbou, Marin; Zortea, Gaetano, Luvumbo; Piccoli
Match Prediction
Given Juventus’ strong home record against Cagliari and their impressive defensive form, coupled with Cagliari’s struggles this season, a comfortable home victory seems likely. Juventus’ pursuit of the Scudetto should provide ample motivation against a team fighting relegation. A 3-0 win for Juventus appears a reasonable prediction, maintaining their clean sheet streak while asserting their dominance in the fixture.
Prediction: Juventus 3-0 Cagliari
