Juventus await Cagliari in the Serie A this weekend, eager for three more points on the board as they look to mount pressure on table-toppers Napoli.
The Allianz Stadium plays host to a Cagliari side desperate to avoid getting sucked into a relegation battle.
The Old Lady is coming off an exhilarating 3-2 win over RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League.
Juve played with their backs against the wall and still emerged victorious thanks to a late winner from new signing Francisco Conceicao.
Despite Benjamin Sesko breaching Juventus’ notoriously stingy backline twice and goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio receiving a red card in the 59th minute, the 36-time Serie A winners showed immense resolve to earn a resounding win.
Thiago Motta became the third Juventus manager to win his first two games in UEFA’s premier competition following in the footsteps of two greats – Marcello Lippi in 1995 and Fabio Capello nine years later.
Juve’s domestic form has been flawless. They are yet to lose and haven’t conceded after six games, winning three matches (D3). Motta’s side sit second on the league table, a point away from Napoli at the summit.
The Bianconeri opened their campaign with 3-0 wins over Como and Verona, with the team adapting quickly to the new manager’s style.
The fans are thrilled to see several youngsters from the youth side getting their chance to shine in the first team.
However, Juventus went three games without sniffing three points against AS Roma, Empoli, and Napoli. Incredibly, they recorded 0-0 results in all those three fixtures before bouncing back with a victory over Genoa.
Dusan Vlahovic bagged a brace during the weekend and followed it with another double in the Champions League. The Cagliari backline must be wary of the threat the Serbian striker possesses.
The Juve hierarchy will be delighted that their post-Massimiliano Allegri rebuild has gotten off to a decent start.
On the other hand, Cagliari only recorded their first win of the season in an epic 3-2 victory over Parma on Monday in what will likely be considered a Serie A classic in years to come.
Parma’s Hernani netted an 87th-minute penalty to make the tie 2-2 with his side in the ascendancy, and many felt they would go on to win it.
However, Nadir Zortea scored from the restart to ensure the three points for the Sardinian club.
Davide Nicola was appointed manager of Cagliari over the summer after Claudio Ranieri’s resignation. Like his countryman, he will be tasked with keeping the Islanders away from the relegation zone.
Nicola began his tenure with a promising 0-0 draw against AS Roma before another stalemate with newcomers Como. They suffered a four-game losing streak, swallowing defeats against Lecce, Napoli, and Empoli.
Cagliari snapped their losing streak with a 1-0 win over Cremonese in the Coppa Italia before following it with a victory against Parma, climbing to 16th place.
Cagliari hope to continue riding that positive momentum against the Serie A heavyweights on Sunday. They know they must play out of their skin to grab a result in Turin.
Juventus will head into the match as overwhelming favourites, given their fast start to the season, and fans will flock to Seatsnet.com to buy Juventus vs Cagliari tickets, expecting to see their side secure maximum points.
Key Stats
Cagliari have a mountain to climb if they want to take a point or three from this encounter. Their record against the Coppa Italia champions makes for grim reading.
Their last win over Juventus dates back to 2020 when Giovanni Simeone and Luca Gagliano sealed a 2-0 victory in Sardinia.
Juventus have beaten Cagliari five times (D1) in their six meetings since that unexpected win. That stalemate came in their last face-off at the Sardegna Arena when Yerry Mina and Gianluca Gaetano netted penalties to claw a draw.
Over their last ten clashes, Juventus have won eight (D1, L1). Cagliari have just that sole win over the Bianconeri in their previous 20 Serie A games.
Cagliari face an uphill battle against Juventus, given their historical struggles against the Bianconeri.
Their recent record highlights the dominance of Juventus in this fixture. Cagliari will need a monumental effort to secure a positive result in this encounter.
Team news & potential line-ups
Striker Arkadiusz Milik will miss the game after going under the knife for arthroscopic suturing of the medial meniscal residue of his left knee.
The Pole underwent a knee operation in June to cure the injury, which ruled him out of the 2024 European Championship, but it was not enough.
Milik will be out for an unspecified period, which will come as a blow for Motta, who hoped to have him fit after the October international break.
Since the 30-year-old arrived at Juventus from Olympique Marseille in August 2022, he has scored 17 goals in 75 matches in all competitions, mostly from the bench.
Utility man Timothy Weah also missed the Genoa and RB Leipzig matches after suffering his second injury setback this season. The American will not be available for the Cagliari game, missing out due to an ankle injury.
Youngster Vasilije Adzici is unavailable due to a new muscle injury and won’t return until after the October international break.
Meanwhile, Matteo Prati could remain on the bench again for Cagliari due to his ongoing struggles with an ankle problem. Mateusz Wieteska is also fighting for fitness ahead of the Juventus tie.
Juventus potential starting line-up:
(4-2-3-1): Michele Di Gregorio; Pierre Kalulu, Federico Gatti, Bremer, Andrea Cambiaso; Manuel Locatelli, Nicolo Fagioli; Nico Gonzalez, Teun Koopmeiners, Kenan Yildiz; Dusan Vlahovic.
Cagliari potential starting line-up:
(3-5-2): Simone Scuffet; Gabriele Zappa, Yerry Mina, Sebastian Luperto; Nadir Zortea, Gianluca Gaetano, Razvan Marin, Alessandro Deiola, Tommaso Augello; Zito Luvumbo, Roberto Piccoli.
Prediction
Juventus are firm favourites to extend their unbeaten streak in Serie A and maintain their title aspirations.
Their superior squad and home advantage make them overwhelming favourites to secure three points against a struggling Cagliari side.
With Vlahovic in fine form and a solid defence providing the platform for the team to shine, Juventus have the necessary tools to dismantle their opponents.
Cagliari, on the other hand, will need a near-perfect performance to defy the odds and defeat the Old Lady.
While a Cagliari victory is unlikely, the Islanders can take solace in the fact that they have caused upsets in the past. They will attempt to hold Juve to a draw this Sunday, just as they did last term in Sardinia.
That rearguard of Gabriele Zappa, Yerry Mina, and Sebastian Luperto must be ready to suffer and withstand the constant waves of pressure Juventus will come with.
Scuffet between the sticks will also be required to weather the storm.
Unfortunately, the 28-year-old has been poor this season, recording goals prevented of -1.91 and registering only a measly 52% save rate. He must up his game to play a key role for Cagliari against Juventus.