Serie A | Gameweek 6

Sep 30, 2024 at 7.45pm UK

Stadio Ennio Tardini

Parma vs Cagliari

Match preview

Two late goals turned Parma's most recent game on its head. Last season's Serie B champions salvaged a remarkable draw from their trip down to Lecce. Both teams played out a frantic finale with just 10 men.

Since returning to Italy's top flight, the Emilian side has let several leads slip. This time, though, they pulled off a last-gasp escape, with goals from ex-Lecce winger Pontus Almqvist and then Antoine Hainaut hauling them level at Via del Mare.

This was only the second time that Parma have ever scored twice after the 90th minute in a Serie A fixture, and there is certainly no shortage of spirit in Fabio Pecchia's young squad.

However, his team have now been sent off in each of their last three matches – goalkeeper Zion Suzuki against Napoli, Mandela Keita versus Udinese, and Matteo Cancellieri in Lecce. They need to tighten up on discipline if they are to stay on course for survival.

Pecchia has fielded the youngest team on average this term, but they'll have to grow up fast in a league dominated by experienced players.

Parma are back at the Tardini, where they've kept five clean sheets in their last seven top-flight games against Cagliari. But they've only won one of their last 10 against the Rossoblu, so they'll be looking to improve on that ahead of Monday's game.

While history might be on their side in some ways, Cagliari's recent performance suggests they won't be the clear favourites to win in Parma.

Davide Nicola's team is currently in 20th place in the Serie A standings and is still waiting for its first league win of the 2024-25 season.

After losing 2-0 at home to Nicola's former club Empoli last week, the Sardinian side have failed to score in any of their last three league games. The last time they went four without scoring was back in July 2020.

It's true that Cagliari have only scored once in Serie A so far, but Gianluca Lapadula's goal on Tuesday was enough to secure their place in the Coppa Italia's last 16.

The Rossoblu were rewarded for seeing off Cremonese with a tough tie against Juventus, but now they're turning their attention back to the likely relegation fight that will define the rest of the season.

Last year, Cagliari had also only scored one goal after five rounds under Claudio Ranieri and hadn't won a game. They still managed to stay up, though.

Recent Performance

Parma Serie A form:DWLLD

Parma form (all competitions):LDWLLD

Cagliari Serie A form:DDLLL

Cagliari form (all competitions):DDLLLW

Injuries and suspensions

Parma

39 Alessandro Circati

8 Nahuel Estévez

19 Simon Sohm

27 Hernani Hernani

7 Adrian Benedyczak

22 Matteo Cancellieri

62 Mateusz Kowalski

Cagliari

23 Mateusz Wieteska

21 Jakub Jankto

9 Gianluca Lapadula

30 Leonardo Pavoletti

Possible starting lineups

Parma possible starting lineup:

Suzuki; Del Prato, Balogh, Osorio, Coulibaly; Bernabe, Hernani; Man, Sohm, Mihaila; Bonny

Cagliari possible starting lineup:

Scuffet; Zappa, Mina, Luperto; Zortea, Gaetano, Marin, Deiola, Augello; Luvumbo, Piccoli