Serie A Preview: Cagliari vs Inter – Team News, Lineups & Prediction
After getting their Serie A title defense off to a dream start, Inter head to the Unipol Domus to take on Cagliari on Sunday. Both sides will be eager to maintain early momentum and make it two wins from two.
Roma loanee Alessandro Romano scored a stunning winner on his debut Serie A start for Cagliari, slotting home a long-range missile to propel Fabio Pisacane’s side to a narrow 1-0 win at Parma. Romano’s screamer helped the Sardinians secure a rare opening-day win in the top flight, having won just one of their 12 previous round-one fixtures.
Despite finishing matchday one as one of only six sides to win without conceding, Cagliari’s hopes of getting their home campaign off to a flyer face a formidable challenge. Reigning champions Inter humbled newly promoted Monza 4-1 at Giuseppe Meazza last weekend, with four different players getting on the scoresheet for Cristian Chivu’s side.
Francesco Pio Esposito’s spectacular backheel goal to make it 3-1 for the hosts stole the spotlight. Perhaps surprisingly, last season’s Serie A top scorer, Lautaro Martinez, failed to find the net against Monza, while Chivu unexpectedly left French superstar Marcus Thuram on the bench, suggesting the former Borussia Monchengladbach striker could return to the starting lineup this weekend.
Match Preview
Cagliari
Pisacane’s men have enjoyed a perfect start to the season. Before taking three points at Stadio Ennio Tardini, Cagliari eked out a 1-0 home win over Arezzo in the Coppa Italia, courtesy of Alessandro Deiola’s first-half penalty. However, the task ahead is hardly comparable to those two matches, especially considering the Sardinians’ recent record in this fixture.
Cagliari have lost nine of their last ten Serie A meetings with Inter (D1). As if that’s not stressful enough, they conceded an average of 2.6 goals per game in the process. It’s also worth noting that they’ve lost six consecutive home clashes against this opposition since a 2-1 win in March 2019, with five of those defeats coming by multi-goal margins.
If they can somehow buck that trend with a victory, Cagliari would start a new Serie A season with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2010/11. Confidence stems from the fact that the Islanders finished the 2025/26 top-flight campaign on a three-game winning streak at the Unipol Domus, where they last won four successive Serie A matches in 2012.
Inter
With 89 league goals, Inter finished last season as the most prolific side in Serie A, leaving second-placed Como 24 goals behind. Free-flowing attack remains the defining feature of Chivu’s team, as Inter were one of just two sides to score more than two goals in the opening round, alongside Roma, who trounced Fiorentina.
Chivu’s men have now averaged 3.00 goals per game across their last ten league outings, potentially painting a bleak picture for Cagliari. Topically, the visitors have scored at least twice on their last six Serie A visits to the Unipol Domus. However, they would be well-advised not to take anything for granted.
In addition to failing to win their opening away game of the season in the last two years, they finished the 2025/26 campaign with just two wins from six road fixtures (D3, L1). Finding a cure for Inter’s travel sickness could be crucial as Chivu bids to lead the Nerazzurri to consecutive league titles for the first time since 2009/10.
Team News
Sebastiano Esposito, who was one of Cagliari’s best players last term, is on the verge of joining Sassuolo, and he won’t be at Pisacane’s disposal this weekend. Riyad Idrissi and Yael Trepy are also on the sidelines, with Daniel Maldini, who joined the club on loan from Atalanta in the summer, expected to take the latter’s place behind lone striker Paul Mendy.
On the other hand, former Tottenham Hotspur fullback Djed Spence must wait a little longer to make his Serie A debut, with Andy Diouf likely to retain his place on the right wing. Thuram might partner up with Lautaro in attack at the expense of Esposito, even though the Italian teenager reigned supreme against Monza last weekend.
Cagliari vs Inter Potential Starting Lineups
Cagliari (4-2-3-1): Caprile; Pedro, Deiola, Rodriguez, Obert; Romano, Winks; Fazzini, Maldini, Adopo; Mendy.
Inter (3-5-2): J. Martinez; Bastoni, Akanji, Bisseck; Diouf, Barella, Calhanoglu, Sucic, Dimarco; Thuram, L. Martinez.
Cagliari vs Inter Prediction
Cagliari’s perfect start should give them confidence, yet Inter’s superior quality and formidable scoring record make them clear favourites. Chivu’s men should have too much firepower for the hosts and are likely to extend their superb winning run at the Unipol Domus.
Prediction: Inter to Win
