CAGLIARI

League position: 19th
Head coach: Walter Mazzarri
Serie A top-scorer: Joao Pedro (6)

RECENT FORM

Cagliari: L L D W L
Roma: W W L L D

Cagliari have just one league win to their name in 2021-22 so far and sit second bottom as a result, with Leonardo Semplici relieved of his duties after three rounds of Serie A fixtures.

Former Napoli, Inter Milan and Torino coach Mazzarri was called upon to turn things around and his team have picked up five points in six matches since, including that first win, a 3-1 home victory over Sampdoria on Matchday 8.

After back-to-back defeats, Roma became the first team to take points off league leaders Napoli with a stirring goalless draw at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.

That will have buoyed coach Jose Mourinho, who should have a full squad at his disposal bar injured pair Chris Smalling and Leonardo Spinazzola.

Possible Caglairi line-up

(3-5-2)

Cragno; Godin, Ceppitelli, Carboni; Zappa, Grassi, Marin, Deiola, Lykogiannis; Joao Pedro, Balde

LAST MEETING

DANGER MAN
Joao Pedro

With six goals in 10 games in all competitions, Pedro is once again proving Cagliari’s talisman this term.

The 29-year-old scored twice in the 3-1 win over Sampdoria and you cannot underestimate his importance to this team.

That was his second double of the season and his goals currently make up for 54 percent of Cagliar’s overall 11 strikes in Serie A.

He will likely pose the greatest attacking threat to the Roma defence, and has a capable partner-in-crime next to him in Keita Balde.

MATCH STATS

Cagliari may have won the last Serie A meeting between these two, but Roma had gone unbeaten from the previous 13 matches prior to that loss (W9, D4) and Caglairi have not won successive matches against the Giallorossi since 2012.

Across the previous six top-flight fixtures between Cagliari and Roma, there have been an average of 4.3 goals per game.

Roma have scored in each of their last 14 league outings against Caglairi, which is the home side’s longest streak of consecutive home matches without clean sheets against a single opponent in the competition.

PLAYER STATS

• Mazzarri has lost 52% of his Serie A matches against Roma.
  
• Joao Pedro has scored six goals against Roma in Serie A, only against Sampdoria (seven) has he scored more in the competition.
  
• Tammy Abraham is one of five forwards to have played at least 700 minutes in Serie A this season.
  
• Lorenzo Pellegrini tops the Roma charts for goals this term, with seven goals in 13 appearances across all competitions.

WHAT THEY SAID

“Unfortunately at the moment we are fragile, it is not a coincidence that we have picked up a few negative results. We all have to stay together, trying to get over this bad period. Hopefully our fans will support us for Wednesday’s game against Roma.”

- Cagliari coach, Walter Mazzarri