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

Still fighting for Serie A survival, Cagliari will visit mid-table Sassuolo on Saturday afternoon, as Italy’s top flight resumes after the international break.

Heading into the home straight after three consecutive defeats, the Sardinian side are hovering just above the drop zone; meanwhile, their hosts have one eye on a top-10 finish.

Match preview

Having claimed just two points from the last 21 available, Cagliari have sleepwalked their way into serious danger, after a positive run had previously taken them within touching distance of safety.

Since the start of February, the Rossoblu have both gained fewer points than anyone else in Serie A and scored the fewest goals, having departed for the international break with a 1-0 home loss to Napoli.

While Fabio Pisacane’s side still have some breathing space, a three-point gap to the relegation zone leaves them precariously placed - particularly as some of the teams below them have belatedly begun to improve.

Appointed last summer, rookie coach Pisacane was charged with extending Cagliari’s latest top-flight stay to a fourth straight year, but that quest remains in the balance with eight matches remaining.

Lacking a reliable striker, their last eight league goals have been scored by different players, and before setting off for Reggio Emilia, the Sardinian side have posted just three away wins so far.

After a 2-1 victory in October’s reverse fixture, Sassuolo could do their first Serie A double over Cagliari this weekend, when they will also aim to end a three-match winless streak.

Before international football intervened, the Neroverdi lost to a late goal against Lazio, then were beaten by Bologna in an Emilian derby, before holding fallen giants Juventus to a 1-1 draw.

Despite an illness outbreak sidelining several players, Andrea Pinamonti’s second-half strike ensured they would leave Turin with a share of the spoils, and that kept them just above Udinese in the race for a top-half finish.

Sassuolo now occupy 10th place on 39 points, and - despite their recent dip - relegation is certainly not a concern for Fabio Grosso’s side.

Crowned Serie B champions last spring, the Emilian club have proven tough to beat on home turf since returning to Italy's top tier; with 20 points from 15 games at the Mapei Stadium, they have already beaten Lazio and Atalanta there this season.

Sassuolo Serie A form:

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Cagliari Serie A form:

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Team News

Cagliari can recall Slovakia international Adam Obert, who served a one-match ban just before the break, but his fellow defender Alberto Dossena will be suspended on Saturday.

Though long-term absentees Riyad Idrissi and Mattia Felici are both ruled out for the rest of the season, the Rossoblu recently welcomed two strikers back to training - albeit Gennaro Borrelli and Andrea Belotti are unlikely to feature this week.

Veteran forward Leonardo Pavoletti has trained separately but should be named on the bench, with joint-top scorers Sebastiano Esposito and Semih Kilicsoy - who have four league goals apiece - slight favourites to start up front.

Two men who scored in the reverse fixture - Pinamonti and Armand Lauriente - are set to lead Sassuolo’s attack, along with talismanic winger Domenico Berardi.

Despite another injury-hit campaign, the latter has registered seven Serie A strikes this term, and he has previously been involved in 10 goals from 11 top-flight games against Cagliari.

After celebrating Bosnia-Herzegovina’s qualification for the upcoming World Cup - at Italy's expense - Tarik Muharemovic will helm the hosts’ defence, ahead of goalkeeper Arijanet Muric.

Muric has made the most saves in Serie A this season, but his Kosovo team narrowly missed out in their World Cup playoff final on Tuesday evening.

Elsewhere, Alieu Fadera and Daniel Boloca are still sidelined by injury, alongside long-term absentees Edoardo Pieragnolo and Fali Cande.

Sassuolo possible starting lineup:

Muric; Walukiewicz, Muharemovic, Idzes, Garcia; Kone, Matic, Thorstvedt; Berardi, Pinamonti, Lauriente

Cagliari possible starting lineup:

Caprile; Ze Pedro, Mina, Rodriguez; Palestra, Adopo, Gaetano, Folorunsho, Obert; Esposito, Kilicsoy