Italy - Serie A
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Played
February 10, 2013 2:00 PM GMT
Stadio Is Arenas — Quartu Sant'Elena
Referee:‬ A. Giannoccaro‎
Attendance:‬ 9500‎
 
45′ Víctor Ibarbo
Mario Balotelli 82′ (PG)

Cagliari-AC Milan Preview: Red-hot Rossoneri continue surge for third

The Rossoblu may have won their appeal to play at Stadio Is Arenas after Lega Serie A had deemed it unsafe, but the task will not be made any easier against formidable opponents

By Craig Turnbull

More On :  AC Milan, Cagliari, Cagliari vs AC Milan
Cagliari fans - Is Arenas stadium
Getty Images
  PROBABLE LINE-UPS


CAGLIARI
Cagliari
Agazzi
Pisano, Rossettini, Astori, Murru
Dessena, Conti, Ekdal
Thiago Ribeiro
Pinilla, Sau
AC MILAN
Abbiati
Abate, Zapata, Yepes, Constant
Nocerino, Flamini, Boateng
Niang, Balotelli, El Shaarawy

Cagliari received a timely boost with the news they will be able to play at their home ground just 24 hours after it had been declared a risk to health and safety. That said, the Rossoblu have not beating the Rossoneri in nearly 15 years, so the challenge on Sunday is no less difficult.

The visitors will be looking to continue their push for third place, while Ivo Pulga's men, buoyed by their shock 4-2 win over Roma last weekend, are four points above the relegation zone and are hoping to further distance themselves from the drop.

Massimiliano Allegri will be without centre-back Daniele Bonera, who has heavy bruising on his thigh. The game may have also came too quick for Massimo Ambrosini, who remains sidelined with a thigh injury. Long-term absentee Nigel de Jong is out for the rest of the season. Riccardo Montolivo is suspended.

Cagliari, meanwhile, have full-back Danilo Avelar and midfielder Radja Nainggolan suspended. Striker Nene is doubtful.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Cagliari go into this clash four games unbeaten, previous to that, however, they had lost four straight Serie A matches.

  • You have to go as far back as October 1998 for Cagliari to have beaten Milan. But they recorded back-to-back victories winning against them in June 1997, too.
  • The Rossoblu have lost 11 of their last 12 encounters with the Rossoneri.

  • AC Milan are on a 20-game unbeaten run against the Rossoblu, including winning their last eight consecutive encounters.

  • Milan were sitting in 12th place in Week 13 in Serie A. Since then, they have picked up 25 points from a possible 30 to go joint-fourth and are the form team in Italy.
  • AC Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng (pictured, right) has had 63 efforts on goal in Serie A this season, but has found the net once.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Cagliari 0-2 AC Milan
    22.22 %
  • Cagliari 0-3 AC Milan
    18.73 %
  • Cagliari 1-3 AC Milan
    17.34 %
Head to Head
Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Feb 10, 2013 Cagliari 1 - AC Milan 1
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Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Sep 26, 2012 AC Milan 2 - Cagliari 0
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Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Jan 29, 2012 AC Milan 3 - Cagliari 0
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Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Dec 20, 2011 Cagliari 0 - AC Milan 2
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Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ May 14, 2011 AC Milan 4 - Cagliari 1
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Last Five Matches
Cagliari
May 19, 2013Cagliari 1 - Lazio 0ITA1
May 11, 2013Juventus 1 - Cagliari 1ITA1
May 8, 2013Cagliari 0 - Parma 1ITA1
May 4, 2013Chievo 0 - Cagliari 0ITA1
Apr 27, 2013Cagliari 0 - Udinese 1ITA1
AC Milan
May 19, 2013Siena 1 - AC Milan 2ITA1
May 12, 2013AC Milan 0 - Roma 0ITA1
May 8, 2013Pescara 0 - AC Milan 4ITA1
May 5, 2013AC Milan 1 - Torino 0ITA1
Apr 28, 2013AC Milan 4 - Catania 2ITA1
Odds
Returns: Cagliari £42.00 BetVictor Sign up today with BetVictor and get a £25 FREE BET!
Returns: Draw £34.00 BetVictor Sign up today with BetVictor and get a £25 FREE BET!
Returns: Milan £21.00 Coral Sign up today with Coral and get a £50 FREE bet - no strings attached!
Team News
Available Squads
1Michael AgazziGoalkeeper
13Davide AstoriDefender
14Francesco PisanoDefender
15Luca RossettiniDefender
29Nicola MurruDefender
5Daniele ContiMidfielder
20Albin EkdalMidfielder
21Daniele DessenaMidfielder
19Thiago RibeiroStriker
23Víctor IbarboStriker
27Marco SauStriker
25Vlada AvramovGoalkeeper
3Lorenzo AriaudoDefender
24Gabriele PericoDefender
34Dario Del FabroDefender
7Andrea CossuMidfielder
16Sebastian ErikssonMidfielder
32Federico CasariniMidfielder
18NenêStriker
51Mauricio PinillaStriker
32Christian AbbiatiGoalkeeper
2Mattia De SciglioDefender
5Philippe MexesDefender
17Cristian ZapataDefender
20Ignazio AbateDefender
4Sulley Ali MuntariMidfielder
16Mathieu FlaminiMidfielder
23Massimo AmbrosiniMidfielder
9L. NiangGoalkeeper
45Mario BalotelliStriker
92Stephan El ShaarawyMidfielder
1Marco AmeliaGoalkeeper
59GabrielGoalkeeper
76Mario Alberto YepesDefender
77Luca AntoniniDefender
2Cristian ZaccardoDefender
8Antonio NocerinoMidfielder
10Kevin-Prince BoatengMidfielder
12Bakaye TraoréMidfielder
7RobinhoStriker
22Bojan KrkicStriker
Players to Watch
Davide Astori
Davide Astori
Position: Defender
Squad Number: 13
Games Goals YC RC
32 0 9 2
He will need to be at the top of his game if the Rossoblu are to get anything from this match. Having received a call-up to the Italy national team in midweek to face Netherlands and the experience will have done him no harm whatsoever. However, he will have much pressing concerns ahead, such as how to deal with the attacking trident of the Rossoneri.
Mario Balotelli
Mario Balotelli
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 45
Games Goals YC RC
13 12 6 0
All the focus and media attention has been on the striker since his return to Serie A and that continues to be the case, with parking tickets and ill-advised comments dominating the headlines. He will be pleased to have the spotlight back on the football and, having scored two goals on his Milan debut, it would not be too surprising to see him grab a goal or two here.
Prediction
The Rossoblu may be on a good run at the minute, but they could not have picked a worse time to play the visitors, who have been boosted by the capture of Mario Balotelli and are the form team in Serie A. Despite the game being played at Stadio Is Arenas, it is difficult to see past a Milan win.
Editor's Prediction
Cagliari 0
Milan 2
Results
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Edinson Cavani Edinson Cavani
Striker
Napoli 		29 7
Antonio Di Natale Antonio Di Natale
Striker
Udinese 		23 4
Pablo Daniel Osvaldo Pablo Daniel Osvaldo
Striker
Roma 		16 2
Stephan El Shaarawy Stephan El Shaarawy
Midfielder
Milan 		16 0
Germán Denis Germán Denis
Striker
Atalanta 		15 5