Back-to-back defeats have kept Cagliari dangling just above the Serie A drop zone before this week's Friday night clash with Genoa.
The two Rossoblu rivals will convene in Sardinia, with six points between them in the standings.
Match preview
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Despite taking the lead at Stadio Dall'Ara, where Roberto Piccoli struck first to quieten the home crowd, Cagliari ultimately lost 2-1 to Bologna last time out.
That perhaps came as no surprise to fans of the Sardinian side, as their team have posted just two wins from 13 league games on the road this season.
As a result, only three points separate Davide Nicola's 15th-placed squad from the relegation zone, with Lecce level on 25 points and Parma two behind in 17th.
Nonetheless, proven survival specialist Nicola has helped his current club edge away from acute danger, thanks to an improved set of results throughout 2025.
Since the start of the year, Cagliari have averaged almost half a point more than during the first part of this season - rising from 0.78 over the first 18 matchdays to 1.22 since the beginning of January.
Now - after playing out a 2-2 draw in November's reverse fixture, when Piccoli scored the Isolani's late leveller - they will tackle Genoa, who also traditionally wear red and blue.
To date, no fewer than 14 of Cagliari's 17 Serie A wins over their fellow Rossoblu have come on home turf, so history suggests this week's hosts can hope to come out on top.
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While Friday's opponents let a potential three points slip last week, Genoa stole one from Coppa Italia semi-finalists Empoli, as Johan Vasquez pulled them level on 81 minutes at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
The Grifone have been enjoying a fine start to life under Patrick Vieira, who has accrued 21 points from 15 league games since taking over a struggling side in November.
In fact, Vieira boasts the best top-flight average of any Genoa manager for three decades, with 1.4 points per match. Such has been his impact, that they have won 68% of their points total under the French coach's watch.
Defensive discipline has helped keep several clean sheets, and the Ligurian club have inched up to 12th place in the standings, some nine points clear of the drop zone.
So, rather than glancing nervously over their shoulders at Cagliari and co, Genoa are now vying with Torino and Udinese to claim a top-half finish.
Team News
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Cagliari have been blessed with a largely clean bill of health for several weeks, but Zito Luvumbo has suffered a setback after making his long-awaited return to the starting XI last weekend.
The Angolan forward was forced off by a flexor problem midway through the second half against Bologna and is now set to miss Friday's game; Florinel Coman, Nicolas Viola and Gianluca Gaetano will vie to replace him.
Whoever is selected should support Roberto Piccoli up front. The latter is Cagliari's top scorer this season, with seven goals in 27 appearances; one more would equal his combined tally for the past three campaigns (just eight from 74 matches).
Meanwhile, Genoa have many more absences to concern them, as Morten Thorsby, Mattia Bani, Vitinha, Honest Ahanor and Mario Balotelli are all unavailable. Junior Messias is also ruled out.
Influential midfielders Milan Badelj and Ruslan Malinovskyi were both back on the bench last week, though, and they should now be ready to start.
The experienced pair will aim to join Morten Frendrup in the visitors' engine room. Two of Frendrup's four Serie A strikes have come against Cagliari, while he has made the most recoveries (146) and tackles (87) of any player in Italy's top flight this term, also winning 143 duels - the most of any midfielder.
Cagliari possible starting lineup:
Caprile; Zappa, Mina, Luperto, Augello; Adopo, Makoumbou; Zortea, Gaetano, Felici; Piccoli
Genoa possible starting lineup:
Leali; Sabelli, De Winter, Vasquez, Martin; Badelj, Frendrup; Zanoli, Masini, Miretti; Pinamonti
We say: Cagliari 0-1 Genoa
Cagliari can be tough to beat on home turf, but Genoa should be able to shut up shop and frustrate the home side.
Under Patrick Vieira's management, the Grifone are flying higher in the form table, so they could edge a close-fought encounter.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
