The Sardinians should confirm their superiority at home again: Cagliari vs Verona prediction
The second-round Coppa Italia match between Cagliari and Verona will take place on 3 September at the Sardegna Arena. The winner of this tie will face Roma in the round of 16, while the hosts enter the match as a Serie A side against opponents who were relegated to the second tier over the summer.
Cagliari: solid start and strong home record
Fabio Pisacane's side began the league campaign with a victory over Parma before narrowly losing 1-0 to reigning champions Inter. Despite the defeat, the Sardinians managed to keep the contest close for a long time against one of the strongest teams in the country.
In the Coppa Italia, Cagliari got past Arezzo thanks to a penalty converted by Alessandro Deiola. In addition, the hosts thrashed Verona 4-0 on their own ground last season, which should give them added confidence ahead of this meeting.
Verona: rebuilding after relegation from Serie A
Marco Baroni's side began their cup campaign with a difficult penalty-shootout victory over Virtus Entella after a 2-2 draw in normal time. Their Serie B campaign has also started badly, with a defeat to Ascoli followed by a 1-1 draw against Padova.
Verona's main objective remains a return to the top flight, so significant rotation in the cup is possible. Amin Sarr has already scored two goals in three matches, however, and remains one of their main attacking threats.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Cagliari have won two of their three competitive matches this season.
- Verona are yet to win in normal time this season in Serie B.
- Cagliari thrashed Verona 4-0 at home last season.
The hosts' quality should make the difference: Cagliari vs Verona prediction
Verona are capable of making things difficult through rotation and the motivation of individual players, but the two teams are currently in very different situations. Cagliari look more settled and have already shown that they can perform convincingly against this opponent at home.
Given the teams' current status, home advantage and the possibility that Verona will prioritise the league, the hosts look considerably stronger. A comfortable Cagliari progression appears the most likely outcome.
