Napoli in search of back-to-back victories in Cagliari trip.
Cagliari, still seeking their first win of the season, face a formidable Napoli at the Sardegna Arena, aiming to overcome a daunting historical record as they clash on Sunday.
Cagliari
Winless in three opening games (0W, 2D, 1L), Cagliari, seated in 17th place, have struggled to find their rhythm since the new season began. Their most recent setback, a 1-0 loss to Lecce, came despite having a numerical advantage for the entire second half following Patrick Dorgu’s red card in the first-half stoppage time.
Cagliari will be aiming to pick up their maiden win of the season when they host Napoli on Sunday. However, the Islanders have a poor record against the Blues, with just one win in their last 26 Serie A meetings (1W, 8D, 17L). That victory came in 2019, while their last home win against Napoli dates back to 2009.
Meanwhile, Cagliari has managed to draw six of their last nine home games in Serie A, though they’ve kept just one clean sheet during that stretch. Aiming to avoid another defeat, manager Davide Nicola is expected to set up his side in a 3-5-2 formation, with Roberto Piccoli and Zito Luvumbo leading the attack.
Cagliari are without any new injury worries, with only Giuseppe Ciocci in doubt for the weekend’s clash.
Napoli
In their last match against Parma, Napoli found themselves trailing after Ange-Yoan Bonny's penalty put Parma ahead. However, a red card to Parma's goalkeeper Zion Suzuki in the second half opened the door for Napoli’s comeback, with stoppage-time goals from Romelu Lukaku and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa sealing the win.
Conte, though frustrated by the recent transfer market troubles, praised his team’s resilience. ‘We take these three points knowing full well that we have to work after this absurdity of the transfer market,’ he said.
Historically, Napoli has dominated this fixture, losing just 14 in 74 Serie A meetings against Cagliari. Among the teams they’ve faced at least 50 times in the top flight, Cagliari represents Napoli's lowest percentage of defeats.
Additionally, the Azzurri have won six of their last eight away trips to the Sardegna Arena, scoring an average of 2.6 goals per game. However, their last two away matches against Cagliari ended in draws.
They will be aiming to avoid a third consecutive away draw against the Islanders, a streak they haven’t experienced since 1976. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, fresh off an impressive performance for Georgia during the international break, is expected to lead the attacking line alongside David Neres and Lukaku in Conte’s 3—4—3 formation.
Team form
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Team Comparison
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