NOBARTV NEWS Cagliari vs Hellas Verona – The 14th week of Serie A brings together Cagliari and Hellas Verona at the Sardegna Arena on Saturday morning, November 30, 2024, at 02.45 WIB. The two teams, who are only one point apart in the standings, will fight to avoid the threat of relegation.
Cagliari sit in 16th place, while Verona are one place above them in 15th. Both teams' defensive problems make this match even more crucial in determining their fate in the competition.
Cagliari
Cagliari come into this game on the back of two consecutive draws, having held AC Milan 3-3 and drawn 2-2 with Genoa. However, Davide Nicola's side must improve their leaky defense. Cagliari have conceded at least two goals in their last six Serie A games, a record that is a major concern ahead of the Verona clash.
Despite this, Cagliari have shown incredible fighting spirit, often scoring late goals to salvage points. Up until matchday 13, they are one of the teams that have most often won points after falling behind. With history on their side—nine of Cagliari's ten wins over Verona have come at home—the Rossoblu have a great chance of getting a positive result at the Sardegna Arena.
Greece Verona
Verona arrive at the Sardegna Arena on a poor run after losing 0-5 to Inter Milan. They have conceded almost 2,5 goals per game so far this season, making them one of the worst defensive teams in the league. In fact, with 32 goals conceded up to matchday 13, Verona are second only to Benevento in Serie A history for the most goals conceded in the same period.
Coach Paolo Zanetti is under immense pressure to improve his side's defensive form. With just one away win so far this season, Verona will need to be perfect to take home the points. However, they have a good record against Cagliari, unbeaten in the last nine meetings between the two sides in Serie A.
Cagliari vs. Hellas Verona: Team News & Predicted Lineups
Cagliari coach Davide Nicola is fortunate that all his players are in good condition. One of the important decisions is to determine the main goalkeeper between Alen Sherri who played against Genoa or Simone Scuffet who is usually the main choice. In the front line, Roberto Piccoli is expected to be the mainstay again after scoring the equalizer in the last match. Interestingly, Piccoli will face his former team, Hellas Verona, in this match.
On the other hand, Verona come with a crippled squad. Juan Cruz, Ondrej Duda, and Martin Frese are all certain to miss out due to injuries. However, Diego Coppola is likely to return after missing the game against Inter. Zanetti is likely to use a back four formation to improve their defensive stability.
Lineup Prediction
Cagliari (4-2-3-1):
Scuffets; Zappa, Mina, Luperto, Augello; Marin, Adopo; Zortea, Gaetano, Luvumbo; Piccoli
Hellas Verona (4-2-3-1):
Montipo; Tchatchoua, Dawidowicz, Magnani, Bradaric; Belahyane, Serdar; Suslov, Harroui, Lazovic; Tengstedt
Interesting Facts Ahead of the Match
Cagliari is the team that has conceded the most goals from dead ball situations this season (10 goals), while Verona is the team that has conceded the most goals from open play (27 goals). These statistics show the defensive weaknesses of both teams that will most likely determine the outcome of the match. On the other hand, history favors Cagliari who are more dominant when playing at home against Verona.
Cagliari vs. Hellas Verona Score Prediction
With the momentum of dramatic draws in the last two matches and the support of the fans at the Sardegna Arena, Cagliari is predicted to be able to exploit Verona's defensive weaknesses. Roberto Piccoli, who has been sharp in the last few matches, is expected to be the difference maker again. On the other hand, Verona must improve their defense if they want to bring home points. However, with the current conditions, the hosts are more favored to win by a narrow 2-1.
This match will be a big test for both teams who are struggling to get out of the red zone. Cagliari has the advantage of playing at home and positive momentum, while Verona must overcome their defensive weaknesses which have been a major problem throughout the season. With the contrasting team conditions, the hosts seem to have a greater chance of getting full points and improving their position in the Serie A standings.
The match streaming link can be found here: football link
