Sabasports Match Preview
Italian Serie A: Cagliari vs Fiorentina
Kickoff Time: 2024-05-24 02:45 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini
Last weekend, Cagliari secured a 2-0 victory over Sassuolo in an away game. They successfully achieved their goal of avoiding relegation one round ahead of schedule. Manager Claudio Ranieri, also known as “The Tinker,” continued to add to his impressive resume. This time, coaching Cagliari, Ranieri accomplished two remarkable feats. In the previous season, he took over Cagliari midway and guided them to achieve their promotion target in just six months. In this season, Ranieri managed to establish Cagliari as a solid Serie A team despite their limited overall strength. Their ability to survive mainly relies on pragmatic tactics and defensive counterattacks.
During the last round of Serie A, Fiorentina drew 2-2 with Napoli at home. They have been performing well lately, with three wins, two draws, and one loss in their recent matches. In the league standings, Fiorentina, with one game in hand, are currently six points behind Lazio, who holds the seventh position. However, the upcoming European Conference League final is of utmost importance to Florence. Therefore, they are likely to approach this round of competition with some reservations. Furthermore, Fiorentina have struggled in their away games, only managing one victory, two draws, and five losses in their last eight league matches. Their away performance is notably weaker compared to their home games. They primarily employ the 4231 formation, boasting a stable midfield and defensive line, while their offensive capabilities should not be underestimated.
Undoubtedly, Fiorentina’s overall strength and recent performance surpass that of Cagliari. However, considering the upcoming European Conference League final and the away nature of this match, Florence should not be overestimated. Their weakness in away games must be taken into account. In this context, it might be reasonable to be optimistic about Cagliari’s chances of defending their home ground.
Cagliari’s Last 5 Games: WLDLD
24-05-19 Sassuolo 0-2 Cagliari
24-05-12 AC Milan 5-1 Cagliari
24-05-05 Cagliari 1-1 Lecce
24-04-30 Genoa 3-0 Cagliari
24-04-20 Cagliari 2-2 Juventus
Fiorentina’s Last 5 Games: DWDLW
24-05-18 Fiorentina 2-2 Napoli
24-05-14 Fiorentina 2-1 Monza
24-05-09 Club Brugge 1-1 Fiorentina
24-05-05 Verona 2-1 Fiorentina
24-05-03 Fiorentina 3-2 Club Brugge
Head To Head Record:
23-10-03 Fiorentina 3-0 Cagliari
22-01-23 Cagliari 1-1 Fiorentina
21-10-24 Fiorentina 3-0 Cagliari
21-05-13 Cagliari 0-0 Fiorentina
21-01-11 Fiorentina 1-0 Cagliari
Prediction: Cagliari to win or Draw