Despite their three-point cushion above the relegation zone heading into the final matchday, Cagliari will conclude their Serie A campaign against Fiorentina without the threat of relegation looming, as Frosinone, 16th, and Udinese, 17th, face each other on Sunday. The Islanders can therefore look ahead, and a victory could see them finish in 13th place. This would mark the club’s best Serie A finish since the 2016/17 season.
This also underscores the improvement in Claudio Ranieri’s team since Matchday 25 (4 wins, 6 draws, 3 losses), during which they’ve accrued half of their 36 seasonal points. Three of those points came last Sunday in a 2-0 away win against Sassuolo. This triumph ended a run of five winless matches (3 draws, 2 losses) and puts Cagliari in contention for back-to-back league victories for only the third time this season.
Considering Fiorentina’s unbeaten streak in the last six encounters (3 wins, 3 draws), including a 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture this season, it won’t be easy for Ranieri’s men to achieve such a feat. However, Fiorentina hasn’t enjoyed the same success against Cagliari in Sardinia, failing to win in their last four visits (2 draws, 2 losses), and managing just one clean sheet in those games.
But unlike their hosts, Fiorentina’s season doesn’t end with this match, as they still have two games remaining, including the Conference League final against Olympiacos on May 29th, followed by a Serie A match against Atalanta in early June. The European final will undoubtedly take precedence, but Vincenzo Italiano’s side can secure eighth place and a return to Europe next season by winning at the Unipol Domus on Thursday.
Players to watch: Cagliari’s central defender Yerry Mina has scored in his last two home matches and will be eager to make it three in a row against Fiorentina, whom he left just three months ago. Nicolás González has scored in two of his three appearances against Cagliari, including in the reverse fixture in October. He has only tasted defeat in two matches where he scored for Fiorentina (26 wins, 4 draws) during his three seasons with the club.
Hot stat: Both teams have scored in 15 of Cagliari’s last 16 home matches.
Probable lineup
Cagliari : Scuffet; Zappa, Obert, Mina, Augello; Deiola, Sulemana; Nandez, Shomurodov, Gaetano; Lapadula
Fiorentina: Terracciano; Dodo, Milenkovic, Martinez Quarta, Biraghi; Bonaventura, Arthur; Gonzalez, Beltran, Ikone; Nzola
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