Cagliari vs AS Roma prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2024-08-17 18:45.
[p]Cagliari will be counting their blessings that they’re able to prepare for another Serie A season in 2024/25, after preserving their top-flight status by a single point last term despite winning just one of their last seven league games (D3, L3). Staying up was a fitting end to fan favourite Claudio Ranieri’s managerial career, and the reins have been passed on to a man known for making the impossible possible in Davide Nicola![/p]
[p]Nicola got his tag as a miracle worker after leading then bottom-of-the-table Crotone to safety in 2016/17, before helping Salernitana secure survival after they had just 13 points in February 2022. After also guiding Empoli to safety from an unpromising position last term, he’s now got off to the ideal start in charge of Cagliari, who opened their competitive campaign by beating Serie B side Carrarese 3-1 in the Coppa Italia on Monday.[/p]
[p]The hosts’ aim for the season might simply be survival, but that won’t be the case for visitors Roma, who will be looking to go from strength to strength with club legend Daniele De Rossi at the helm. De Rossi took over in January to steady the ship after JosĂ© Mourinho’s sacking and guided the Giallorossi to a sixth-placed finish, although a disappointing conclusion to the campaign saw them pick up just one win in their last five Serie A matches (D2, L2) to fall five points short of the UEFA Champions League qualification places.  [/p]
[p]Roma however possess a formidable record against Cagliari, having lost just once in 18 H2Hs (W13, D4). That sequence includes scoring four goals both home and away against the Sardinians in 2023/24, but after the loan return of Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea, the men from the capital have found an able replacement ahead of their busy schedule, with Artem Dovbyk, La Liga’s leading marksman last term, arriving from Girona. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Cagliari’s on-loan Roberto Piccoli hit the ground running with a goal and assist against Carrarese, and will be looking to repeat the feat since five of his last six goals have come at home. Dovbyk will also be looking to make a fast start at his new club just like he did for Girona last season, when he scored away from home on the opening matchday. [/p]
[p]Hot streak: Cagliari have drawn their opening league game in each of the last four seasons.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Peter Stavrinou[/i][/p]