Cagliari Vs Milan

Fresh off their midweek victory over the European champions, AC Milan heads south for an intense Serie A clash with Cagliari this Saturday evening. Milan’s Champions League success came with a resounding 3-1 triumph at the Bernabeu, disrupting Real Madrid’s 15-match unbeaten home record in the tournament and significantly improving Milan's chances of advancing to the knockout rounds.

Juan Meza rounded off Milan’s memorable win with a crucial late goal, adding to earlier contributions from Malick Thiaw, former Atletico Madrid forward Alvaro Morata, and Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders. Key to this trio’s success was Rafael Leao, who orchestrated the offense with renewed energy and precision. In outmaneuvering former Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti, current coach Paulo Fonseca alleviated mounting pressure as his team drew even on points with Real Madrid in this 36-team competition.

This victory marks only Milan’s second continental win of the current season, coming after early struggles against Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen before finally clinching a solid win over Club Brugge last month. With momentum on their side, Milan now looks to advance further, facing Slovan Bratislava, Red Star Belgrade, Girona, and Dinamo Zagreb in their pursuit of a playoff spot before the highly anticipated Milan derby.

Last week’s 1-0 win over local rivals Monza brought Milan to 17 points in Serie A, securing seventh place in the standings and positioning them eight points behind leaders Napoli. The Rossoneri aim for a fifth straight clean sheet in away games, having scored in each of their past 13 league matches in Sardinia, giving them confidence as they prepare to face Cagliari.

Cagliari coach Eusebio Di Francesco is expected to start Gianluca Busio on Saturday after recent rotations against Inter, with Busio anticipated to support Gaetano Oristanio and lead striker Joel Pohjanpalo. Pohjanpalo, Finland’s prolific forward, has become a key player for Venezia, scoring three of his four Serie A goals at home this season.

In Serie A history, Cagliari has only defeated Milan once in their last 39 meetings, with their last win dating back to May 2017. Currently, the Sardinians are struggling, having lost eight of their last nine matches and scoring only three goals in that span. Monday’s 2-1 defeat to Lazio was a hard-fought contest, with Zito Luvumbo leveling the game in the second half before a Lazio penalty restored the lead. Shortly after, Cagliari saw Yerry Mina sent off with a second yellow, and Michel Adopo soon followed due to disciplinary issues, leaving the team in an uphill battle.

This string of losses has left Cagliari one of seven teams at the bottom of the table, with each separated by only a single point. At home, the Unipol Domus has been unkind to them, as they have failed to score in four of their first six home games and conceded at least two goals in seven of their last eight league matches. Coach Davide Nicola faces a difficult task to lift his team out of relegation danger.

Milan’s lineup may feature Samu Chukwueze’s return, as Fonseca assesses whether to continue with Rafael Leao and Yunus Musah in advanced positions, given their effectiveness against Real Madrid. Defender Matteo Gabbia could also make a comeback from a calf injury, though Ismael Bennacer and Alessandro Florenzi remain sidelined. Christian Pulisic, scoring at a goal-per-two-game pace, is likely to remain a pivotal figure, supporting Alvaro Morata in Milan’s attack. Pulisic previously netted a double against Cagliari in last season’s 5-1 thrashing at San Siro.

For Cagliari, Zito Luvumbo remains a bright spot, having scored their first home league goal since September 2023 and finding the net again against Lazio earlier this week. With Mina and Adopo suspended, Razvan Marin and Jose Luis Palomino may step into the lineup, offering Nicola a relatively healthy squad despite these suspensions. This clash in Sardinia could set the tone for both teams, with Milan aiming to continue their Champions League momentum and Cagliari hoping to break their losing streak and revive their campaign.