AC Milan vs Cagliari Prediction - Serie A Fixtures
AC Milan will face off against Cagliari at the iconic San Siro on 11 January 2025, kicking off at 19:45. This Serie A fixture is crucial for both sides, with Milan aiming to climb higher from their current 8th place and Cagliari fighting to escape the relegation zone in 17th.
Under the guidance of new coach Sérgio Conceição, Milan has seen a resurgence in form, winning their last two games, including a thrilling 3-2 victory over Inter to claim the Italian Super Cup. The Rossoneri’s immediate objective is to bolster their points tally from 27 and push for a Champions League spot. Despite a slew of injuries, Milan’s lineup, including top scorer Christian Pulisic, is expected to show their mettle.
Cagliari, under Davide Nicola, is on a tough road with their recent form showing four losses in the last five games. With their last victory against Monza, they are aiming to build some momentum.
Given Milan’s current trajectory, our match prediction suggests a high-scoring game with over 3.5 goals. Both sides have shown vulnerabilities in defence, which could make for an action-packed encounter.
AC Milan vs Cagliari Prediction & Betting Tip
Our recommended betting tip for this fixture is a high-scoring encounter with over 3.5 goals. Given both teams’ recent form, AC Milan’s improvement in performance, and their historical head-to-head results, this prediction aligns with the expectation of an action-packed match. Milan’s attacking prowess, combined with Cagliari’s defensive vulnerabilities, suggests a likelihood of seeing multiple goals.
| AC Milan vs. Cagliari Prediction | |
|---|---|
| Betting tip | Odds |
| Over 3.5 Goals | 2.63 |
- Milan’s last five matches have seen a total of over 2.5 goals scored in three of them.
- The last three encounters between these two teams produced 17 goals in total.
- Given Milan’s recent attacking form and Cagliari’s defensive struggles, a goal-fest is highly probable.
Breaking it down, Milan’s comeback and goal-scoring form paired with Cagliari’s fight against relegation make a high-scoring game the most plausible outcome in this clash.
AC Milan vs Cagliari Odds
The odds heavily favor AC Milan in this Serie A clash against Cagliari. Milan, playing at home in the storied San Siro, aims to continue their push towards the upper echelons of the league table. Given Cagliari’s struggles this season and Milan’s recent improvement under Sérgio Conceição, the betting market sees a clear advantage for the Rossoneri.
| AC Milan vs. Cagliari Betting Odds | |
|---|---|
| Bet | Odds |
| AC Milan | 1.34 |
| Draw | 5.18 |
| Cagliari | 8.51 |
AC Milan Team Analysis
AC Milan’s form has been impressive, reflecting stability and resilience under their new manager Sérgio Conceição. They’ve shown marked improvement, remaining unbeaten in their last five matches. Recent Form: WWDWD In their recent performances, Milan managed clean sheets in two out of their last five games, and they seem to have tightened up defensively. They average 1.40 goals per game, demonstrating a balanced attack spearheaded by Christian Pulisic, their top scorer.
| Home team | Away team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Inter | AC Milan | 2-3 (Win) |
| Juventus | AC Milan | 1-2 (Win) |
| AC Milan | Roma | 1-1 (Draw) |
| Hellas Verona | AC Milan | 0-1 (Win) |
| AC Milan | Genoa | 0-0 (Draw) |
AC Milan Key Players
AC Milan, under Sérgio Conceição, will heavily rely on the likes of Christian Pulisic and Theo Hernandez, both showing recent impressive form. Despite their injury woes, these key players can make a significant impact.
- Christian Pulisic: With 5 goals this season, he leads the attack with his creativity and pace on the right wing.
- Theo Hernandez: Crucial both defensively and offensively, Hernandez’s ability to score and assist makes him indispensable.
- Yunus Musah: A potential engine in the midfield but doubtful due to injury. Key Battles:
- Pulisic vs. Cagliari’s Sebastiano Luperto and Yerry Mina will be intriguing, with Pulisic aiming to exploit their defensive weaknesses.
- Theo Hernandez’s marauding runs against Cagliari’s Gabriele Zappa could juggle the dynamics on the left flank. Expected lineup for AC Milan:
- Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan
- Defenders: Davide Calabria, Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw, Theo Hernandez
- Midfielders: Youssouf Fofana, Tijjani Reijnders, Yunus Musah
- Attackers: Rafael Leão, Christian Pulisic, Álvaro Morata
AC Milan Suspensions & Injuries
AC Milan face several key injuries and one suspension ahead of their match against Cagliari. The team will miss Emerson Royal due to a yellow card suspension, which could affect their defensive stability. Additionally, the absence of crucial attacking players like Christian Pulisic and Samuel Chukwueze might hamper their offensive output.
| Player | Injury | Expected return |
|---|---|---|
| Alessandro Florenzi | Cruciate ligament injury | Mid-April 2025 |
| Noah Okafor | Muscle injury | Late January 2025 |
| Samuel Chukwueze | Thigh injury | Late January 2025 |
| Christian Pulisic | Ankle injury | Mid-January 2025 |
| Yunus Musah | Muscle injury | Doubtful |
| Ruben Loftus-Cheek | Thigh injury | Doubtful |
| Rafael Leão | Muscle injury | Doubtful |
| Matteo Gabbia | Virus | Doubtful |
| Player | Suspension | Expected return |
|---|---|---|
| Emerson Royal | Yellow cards | 1 match left |
These absences could disrupt the team’s rhythm and depth, requiring adjustments in their lineup to compensate for the losses.
AC Milan Tactics and Formation
AC Milan Tactical Breakdown:
- Formation: 4-2-3-1
- Key Forward: Álvaro Morata
- Midfield Structure: Youssouf Fofana and Yunus Musah (if fit) as defensive midfielders, Tijjani Reijnders as the attacking midfielder
- Defensive Line: Theo Hernandez, Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia, Davide Calabria
- Notable Absence: Emerson Royal, suspended due to yellow card accumulation
Defensive Strength: Milan has kept two clean sheets in their last five matches, showing increased defensive solidity under new manager Sérgio Conceição.
Offensive Strategy: The team relies heavily on the dynamic duo of Theo Hernandez and Christian Pulisic on the wings. With Pulisic’s return doubtful, Rafael Leão is expected to play a crucial role in driving forward.
Game Plan: Given their recent form, Milan will likely press high and leverage quick counter-attacks during the 61-75 minute interval, a period where they have conceded the most goals but also shown resilience.
Cagliari Team Analysis
Cagliari’s recent form has been disappointing, managing just one win in their last five matches, which doesn’t bode well for a team trying to avoid the drop. With an average of 0.60 goals scored per game and no clean sheets in their last five outings, their defensive and attacking woes are evident.
Last 5 Results:
| Home team | Away team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Monza | Cagliari | 1-2 (Win) |
| Cagliari | Inter | 0-3 (Loss) |
| Venezia | Cagliari | 2-1 (Loss) |
| Juventus | Cagliari | 4-0 (Loss) |
| Cagliari | Atalanta | 0-1 (Loss) |
Despite their struggles, the win against Monza shows that Cagliari can pull off results when needed. However, conceding an average of 1.9 goals per game in the league emphasizes their defensive vulnerabilities—something coach Davide Nicola must address promptly.
Cagliari Key Players
Cagliari’s key players, particularly their top scorer Roberto Piccoli, will need to be at their best to challenge AC Milan. Piccoli, who has netted five goals this season, will be crucial in breaking down Milan’s defense. Alongside him, Nicolas Viola will look to add attacking pressure from the front.
Expected lineup for Cagliari:
- Goalkeeper: Elia Caprile
- Defenders: Gabriele Zappa, Yerry Mina, Sebastiano Luperto, Adam Obert
- Midfielders: Nadir Zortea, Michel Adopo, Antoine Makoumbou, Mattia Felici
- Attackers: Nicolas Viola, Roberto Piccoli
The midfield battle could be pivotal, with Antoine Makoumbou expected to face off against Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders, who is also the home side’s top scorer. Yerry Mina’s defensive skills will be tested against Milan’s Álvaro Morata.
Cagliari Suspensions & Injuries
Cagliari will face some challenges going into their match against AC Milan due to a few key absences from their squad.
Injuries:
| Player | Injury | Expected return |
|---|---|---|
| Zito Luvumbo | Ankle injury | Early February 2025 |
| Giuseppe Ciocci | Shoulder injury | Doubtful |
| Kingstone Mutandwa | Knee injury | Doubtful |
| Jakub Jankto | Virus | About 1-2 weeks |
These injuries could pose a significant problem, particularly in attacking options with Zito Luvumbo out and defensive solidity suffering due to the absence of Giuseppe Ciocci.
Cagliari does not have any players suspended for this fixture, which will be a relief for Coach Davide Nicola as he tries to navigate this tough away game.
The absence of these injured players could severely impact Cagliari’s ability to compete against AC Milan, especially given their recent poor form.
Cagliari Tactics and Formation
Cagliari’s Tactical Breakdown:
- Formation: Expected 4-4-2
- Key Forwards: Roberto Piccoli, Nicolas Viola
- Midfield Duo: Michel Ndary Adopo, Antoine Makoumbou
- Defensive Setup: Yerry Mina and Sebastiano Luperto at center-back
- Goalkeeper: Elia Caprile
Coach Davide Nicola prefers a defensive approach, setting up his team to counter-attack. With Roberto Piccoli and Nicolas Viola leading the attack, Cagliari will aim to exploit any gaps in AC Milan’s backline. The midfield duo of Adopo and Makoumbou will be crucial in breaking up Milan’s plays and transitioning the ball forward. Defensively, Mina and Luperto need to be at their best to handle Milan’s attacking threats. Given their recent struggles, a compact and disciplined performance is essential.
AC Milan vs Cagliari Head-to-Head Statistics
Analyzing the last five encounters between AC Milan and Cagliari reveals a dominant pattern in favor of the Rossoneri. AC Milan has won four out of these five meetings, with the most recent clash ending in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
| Home | Away | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Cagliari | AC Milan | 3-3 |
| AC Milan | Cagliari | 5-1 |
| AC Milan | Cagliari | 4-1 |
| Cagliari | AC Milan | 1-3 |
| Cagliari | AC Milan | 0-1 |
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