Serie A Preview: Cagliari Calcio - Inter Milan
Isolani expected to struggle
Cagliari stands 13th in the league after collecting 7 points from opening six matches. However only three points separate Cagliari from bottom placed Udinese. With the likes of AS Roma and Fiorentina struggling at the start of the season, Cagliari
could very well struggle for survival come the end of the season.
Cagliari has a talented squad and the club President Massimo Cellino is getting increasingly frustrated with the coach for the lack of results. Pierpaolo Bisoli is under immense pressure to perform. It hardly comes as a surprise that rumours are already
ripe that former Azzurri coach Roberto Donadoni will replace Bisoli should the performances fail to improve.
On a positive note, Cagliari has an unbeaten home record so far this season and there is hope because the Inter Machine will visit Stadio Sant'Elia.
Nerazzuri looking to go top
Following a slow start to their title defence, the Nerazzuri are now back to their terrorizing best. Spearheaded by a devastating Samuel Eto’o, the club is looking very threatening. Inter’s lone defeat of the season was against Roma when Vucinic stole a late
winner to silence the Nerazzuri faithful. However, Inter were playing away from home and the defeat was really hard on Inter as the Milan based club was the better team for much of the match.
Currently Inter stand second in the league and a victory in the match will see them go top of the charts. Against a misfiring Isolani outfit, Benitez will be confident of getting the three points even away from home. Eto’o might have stolen all the limelight,
but it’s the defence players that are the real unsung heroes. Indeed the club has conceded just three goals in opening six matches.
Team News
Cagliari Calcio
Pierpaolo Bisoli will be delighted to have a clean bill of health. The coach has a complete squad to choose his starting eleven from.
Expected Formation
Cagliari will take to the pitch in a 4-3-1-2 formation. Alessandro Matri and Robert Acquafresca will lead the line. Andrea Cossu will play in the ‘hole’ just behind the strikers. Andrea Lazzari, Radja Nainggolan and Davide Biondini form a midfield trident
that will look to keep Sneijder and company in check.
Probable Line up
Michael Agazzi, Francesco Pisano, Michele Canini,
Davide Astori, Lorenzo Ariaudo, Andrea Lazzari, Radja Nainggolan, Biondini, Alessandro Matri, Robert Acquafresca, Andrea Cossu
Inter Milan
The Nerazzuri have been severely hit by injuries going into this match. Diego Milito, Esteban Cambiasso, Thiago Motta, Ivan Cordoba, McDonald Mariga, Goran Pandev and David Suazo are all out injured due to various injuries. Benitez will have nightmares choosing
the starting eleven for this match.
Expected Formation
Benitez will line up his wounded squad in a 4-3-3 formation. Samuel Eto’o will play as the central forward with Philippe Coutinho and Jonathan Ludovic Biabiany flanking him. Sneijder will be the creator-in-chief for the squad. Javier Zanetti and Dejan Stankovic
will look to support the Dutch sensation. Benitez will breathe a sigh of relief as the Spaniard has a first choice defence to protect his troops.
Probable Line up
Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Chivu, McDonald Mariga, Wesley Sneijder, Dejan Stankovic, Philippe Coutinho, Jonathan Ludovic Biabiany, Samuel Eto’o.
Key Players
Alessandro Matri
The Former Milan youth player has started to show his potential this season. The forward has scored 4 goals so far this season and will also look to set up Acquafresca on other occasions.
Samuel Eto’o
Eto’o has scored 5 of Inter’s 8 league goals so far. In absence of Diego Milito, his performance will be even more important to Nerazzuri ambitions.
Prediction
Cagliari is a decent side but against an in-form inter team, there is nothing they can do to stop the Nerazzuri march. The home advantage might see them scoring a goal but Eto’o will be too hot to handle for a modest Isolani defence. Inter to edge the tie
1 – 2!
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