Serie A | Gameweek 8

Oct 20, 2024 at 5pm UK

Sardegna Arena

Cagliari vs Torino

Match preview

While the highlights of Cagliari's early season were Coppa Italia victories over Carrarese (2-1) and Cremonese (1-0), the results before the two-week break have only improved the mood in Sardinia.

Davide Nicola's side scored late goals in a 3-2 win over Parma and held Juventus to a 1-1 draw earlier this month.

The results leave the Rossoblu 16th in the standings, but one clear of 18th-placed Genoa and two clear of Monza and Venezia, the other two clubs in the bottom three.

Cagliari will be hoping that the break has not slowed their seemingly unstoppable momentum, as they go into this weekend's clash looking to extend their three-match unbeaten run in all competitions.

Having already enjoyed two Serie A unbeaten streaks of three games or more in 2024, both of which lasted four games, Nicola will be looking to record a third by avoiding a home defeat.

The wheels seem to have come off for Torino after an unbeaten start to the season which saw the Bulls avoid defeat in six of their opening fixtures (five in Serie A).

Since beating Hellas Verona 3-2 in the penultimate week of September, the Turin giants have been knocked out of the domestic cup by Empoli (2-1) and suffered 3-2 defeats at the hands of Lazio and holders Inter Milan.

Despite the defeat at the San Siro before the break, the Granata did not roll over against Simone Inzaghi's men after Guillermo Maripan's 20th-minute dismissal, and the team's reaction to the defeat encouraged their supporters.

The Turin faithful will be hoping for a return to form from their players when their team take on Nicola, who spent a few months in charge of the Bulls in 2021 and steered them to safety after taking over in January.

Having seen his side concede 10 times in four games in all competitions, Paolo Vanoli will be hoping for better organisation on Sunday as the Turin club look to end their losing streak.

Recent Performance

Cagliari Serie A form:DLLLWD

Cagliari form (all competitions):LLLWWD

Torino Serie A form:WWDWLL

Torino form (all competitions):WDWLLL

Injuries and suspensions

Cagliari

33 Adam Obert

23 Mateusz Wieteska

21 Jakub Jankto

9 Gianluca Lapadula

30 Leonardo Pavoletti

Torino

32 Vanja Milinković-Savić

3 Perr Schuurs

13 Guillermo Maripán

80 Côme Bianay Balcot

8 Ivan Ilić

26 Emirhan İlkhan

79 Zanos Savva

91 Duvan Zapata

Possible starting lineups

Cagliari possible starting lineup:

Scuffet; Zappa, Mina, Luperto, Augello; Marin, Adopo; Zortea, Viola, Luvumbo; Piccoli

Torino possible starting lineup:

Milinkovic-Savic; Walukiewicz, Coco, Masina; Lazaro, Ricci, Vlasic, Gineitis, Sosa; Adams, Sanabria