Both stuck inside the Serie A drop zone, Venezia and Cagliari will meet for a survival scrap at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo on Sunday.

The hosts were cruelly denied a famous away win over Juventus last weekend, before their Sardinian counterparts succumbed to Juve in a midweek cup tie.

Match preview

Having previously rescued a point from their 2-2 draw against relegation rivals Como, ending a run of four straight defeats, Venezia were given a taste of their own medicine when they let victory slip from their grasp in Turin.

After second-half headers from Mikael Egill Ellertsson and Jay Idzes - the latter coming during the last 10 minutes - put them 2-1 up, the Lagunari were on course to pull off a major shock by ending Serie A's last unbeaten record.

However, a controversial penalty then led to Juventus snatching a stoppage-time equaliser, summing up Venezia's fortunes since being promoted as Serie B playoff winners.

Though they have scored a greater share of goals via set-pieces (67%) than any other club in the Italian top flight, they have conceded the most from dead-ball situations (13).

Much to the frustration of Eusebio Di Francesco - who incidentally once coached Cagliari - his team have also dropped more points from winning positions than any other across Europe's top five leagues; a staggering tally of 18 is at least six more than any other Serie A side.

As a result of such shortcomings, the Arancioneroverdi have gained five points fewer than at this stage of their most recent top-tier campaign - and they were ultimately relegated in 2021-22.

Even winning on Sunday cannot lift them out of the relegation zone for Christmas, but it would at least help halt a drought that stretches back to October.

History will at least be on the hosts' side, as Cagliari have yet to achieve a single Serie A success at Stadio Penzo, and since winning the clubs' first top-flight encounter in November 1966 they have failed to claim victory in any of seven subsequent meetings.

On this occasion, the Isolani will make the long trip north with a four-point advantage over Venezia in the standings, but they are also mired inside the bottom three as this season's halfway stage approaches.

Cagliari have won only one of their last eight league matches - against Hellas Verona in November - losing both of the last two without even scoring.

Despite a spirited attempt to keep relentless league leaders Atalanta BC at bay, Davide Nicola's men lost 1-0 to La Dea last weekend, three days before a much-changed XI slumped out of the Coppa Italia.

Still level with Juventus on the cusp of half time, the Rossoblu then shipped four goals to meekly exit in the last 16, so a season-long survival fight is all they have left to focus on.

Team News

As Michael Svoboda suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the 2-2 draw with Juventus, Eusebio Di Francesco must make a change to his three-man defence on Sunday, with Cagliari-owned Giorgio Altare most likely to step in.

Venezia will also be without Alfred Duncan (calf), Richie Sagrado and Antonio Raimondo (both thigh), who are all sidelined again.

Gaetano Oristanio - like Duncan, a former Cagliari loanee - should start alongside Gianluca Busio in support of lone striker Joel Pohjanpalo. Oristanio has been directly involved in four goals so far this season, already one more than across 25 appearances for the Rossoblu last term.

Meanwhile, Roberto Piccoli's tally of four Serie A strikes includes both of Cagliari's last two league goals, and he is set to regain his place after being rested for Tuesday's cup tie in Turin.

Davide Nicola will also bring in regular centre-backs Sebastiano Luperto and Yerry Mina, while Alen Sherri should replace Simone Scuffet in goal.

The visitors' sole absentee is Zito Luvumbo, who has been ruled out by a sprained ankle.

Venezia possible starting lineup:
Stankovic; Altare, Idzes, Sverko; Zampano, Andersen, Nicolussi Caviglia, Ellertsson; Oristanio, Busio; Pohjanpalo

Cagliari possible starting lineup:
Sherri; Zappa, Mina, Luperto, Obert; Zortea, Adopo, Makoumbou, Augello; Gaetano; Piccoli

We say: Venezia 1-1 Cagliari

As Venezia are generally tougher to beat at home and Cagliari tend to struggle on their travels to the mainland, the hosts can at least make it three games unbeaten.

They may come up just short of a much-needed victory, though, as some serious defensive issues remain.


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