Preview: Cagliari vs Udinese - prediction, team news, lineups

Victory would wrap up Cagliari's top-flight survival on Saturday afternoon, when Udinese will arrive in Sardinia.

While already close to confirming their Serie A status, the Rossoblu need maximum points a little more than their mid-table visitors.

Match preview

Now nine points clear of the drop zone, Cagliari can finish yet another fight for Serie A salvation by winning their penultimate home game.

The regular relegation battlers are inching ever closer to safety, having recently beaten Atalanta 3-2 and drawn 0-0 in Bologna.

Those results have left Lecce and Cremonese trailing far behind in the race to avoid 18th place - but the job is not done just yet.

Nearing the end of Fabio Pisacane's first season as head coach of the first team, his side have begun to improve their home form, winning both of their last two games in Sardinia while scoring four goals.

However, history will not be on the Rossoblu's side this weekend: Cagliari have failed to win any of their last six home fixtures against Udinese, only netting three goals in the process.

In fact, after a 1-1 draw in October's reverse fixture, Udinese have lost just one of the last 13 Serie A top-flight contests between these two clubs.

Occupying 11th spot in the table, the Friulani also sit 10 points and five places above Cagliari, having picked up four points from their last couple of outings.

Denied at the death by Lazio's late leveller in a thrilling 3-3 draw, Kosta Runjaic's side then dusted themselves down and beat mid-table rivals Torino, staying in the hunt for a top-half finish.

Even Runjaic would admit his team are consistently inconsistent, but posting their first back-to-back wins since February would certainly aid a close top-10 fight with Sassuolo.

Before making the long journey south for Saturday's fixture, Udinese are unbeaten in four away matches - scoring at least twice on each occasion - so they have good reason to expect a positive outcome.

Cagliari Serie A form:

L L W L W D

Udinese Serie A form:

W D W L D W

Team News

Cagliari hope to welcome back central midfielder Luca Mazzitelli, but several players may still be missing through injury.

Alessandro Deiola, Mattia Felici, Riyad Idrissi, Juan Rodriguez, Joseph Liteta and veteran striker Leonardo Pavoletti are all on the treatment table, while Gennaro Borrelli remains a major doubt.

Rookie forward Paul Mendy - who recently bagged an eight-minute brace against Atalanta - was only fit enough for a late cameo last week, but he can now contend to start.

The latter must battle with Semih Kilicsoy and Andrea Belotti to join Sebastiano Esposito up front, although Pisacane has preferred to play Michael Folorunsho in a more advanced role of late.

Both Esposito and Udinese's Nicolo Zaniolo have registered 11 Serie A goal involvements this season, but the visitors' main marksman is Keinan Davis.

After missing three games, the English frontman has now resumed full training, alongside fit-again defender Nicola Bertola.

Bertola's return is timely, as Christian Kabasele must serve a suspension for accumulated yellow cards; meanwhile, wing-backs Jordan Zemura and Alessandro Zanoli are both sidelined by injury.

Cagliari possible starting lineup:

Caprile; Ze Pedro, Mina, Dossena; Palestra, Sulemana, Gaetano, Adopo, Obert; Folorunsho; Esposito

Udinese possible starting lineup:

Okoye; Bertola, Kristensen, Solet; Ehizibue, Atta, Ekkelenkamp, Miller, Kamara; Zaniolo, Davis