Having just ended their winless run in the most spectacular style, Cagliari seek to build more momentum on Wednesday evening, when they visit Udinese in the Coppa Italia second round.
While the Rossoblu fought back from three goals down to seal their first Serie A success since promotion, their hosts still await a first league win and have already changed coach.
Match preview
© Reuters
After losing their patience with former boss Andrea Sottil a few days earlier, Udinese again sought their first top-flight victory of the season when they visited mid-table Monza on Sunday.
Languishing inside Serie A's relegation zone, the Fruilani welcomed former coach Gabriele Cioffi back into the dugout after a 13-match streak without a league win, but his return could not quite inspire their first three-point haul of 2023-24.
Trailing at half time, Udinese equalised when Christian Kabasele set up substitute Lorenzo Lucca to score in the 66th minute, and they sit one point and two places above this week's cup opponents in the standings after 10 games played.
The last time the Bianconeri tasted success therefore remains their 4-1 Coppa Italia defeat of Serie B side Catanzaro back in mid-August, when Lucca was on the scoresheet during stoppage time at Stadio Fruili.
Befitting their status as provincial outsiders, Udinese have never before lifted Italy's national cup, and given their start this season it remains unlikely they can pull off such a feat next spring.
However, the chance to earn a rare win in front of their fans - and seal a last-16 tie with AC Milan - will prove a huge incentive for Cioffi and company heading into Wednesday's game.
© Reuters
Their midweek hosts may have forgotten how it feels to claim maximum points, but Cagliari have now experienced such joy following their own long drought.
Sent on at half time, with his team trailing 2-0, veteran striker Leonardo Pavoletti put in a decisive shift up front to help Claudio Ranieri's men claw their way back from three goals down with 70 minutes on the clock.
Last season's playoff final hero, Pavoletti this time produced two last-gasp strikes to claim victory in a seven-goal thriller with fellow promoted club Frosinone and secure Cagliari's first league victory of the season.
Three points from their first nine matches had left the Sardinians rock-bottom of the table, and they had dropped the most points from winning positions of any Serie A side this season - so turning precedent on its head in such an improbable manner could prove a turning point.
However, Ranieri will be acutely aware that his team have conceded at least two goals in each of their last six outings (17 in total) and remain very much a work in progress.
Before Sunday's stunning revival, Cagliari's previous win had come in the Coppa Italia first round, with a dramatic extra-time defeat of Palermo. It seems, then, that the 1969 cup runners-up are no strangers to mayhem.
Team News
© Reuters
Among the many items in Gabriele Cioffi's in-tray upon arrival back at Stadio Fruili was a significant injury list, containing names such as Gerard Deulofeu, Brenner, Keinan Davis, Kingsley Ehizibue and Enzo Ebosse.
Udinese are therefore likely to rotate their depleted resources ahead of Saturday's trip to San Siro, where Milan await: Adam Masina, Joao Ferreira and 17-year-old striker Simone Pafundi - already capped by Italy's senior side - may be promoted to the starting lineup.
The Bianconeri have struggled for goals this season, so Lorenzo Lucca's leveller against Monza could also earn him a place up front.
With far fewer absences to concern him, Cagliari coach Claudio Ranieri has frequently rotated his squad since promotion; with a crucial clash against Genoa on the schedule for Sunday, further changes are set to be made in Udine.
Zito Luvumbo started in attack against Frosinone, but Andrea Petagna, Eldor Shomurodov, Gianluca Lapadula and Inter loanee Gaetano Oristanio are all candidates to come into the visitors' first XI; Leonardo Pavoletti did his cause no harm with a superb second-half cameo at the weekend.
Long-term absentee Marko Rog remains unavailable for the Rossoblu, while Elio Capradossi is also sidelined; Nahitan Nandez will be rested due to a thigh problem.
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Okoye; Guessand, Tikvic, Masina; Ferreira, Zarraga, Lovric, Quina, Kamara; Pafundi, Lucca
Cagliari possible starting lineup:
Radunovic; Zappa, Obert, Wieteska, Azzi; Deiola, Makoumbou, Sulemana; Viola; Petagna, Shomurodov
We say: Udinese 2-1 Cagliari
A change is as good as a rest, so a reformulated Udinese XI could pick up their first win since August by exploiting Cagliari's defensive deficiencies. The Sardinian side have picked up just two points from five away fixtures in Serie A, so they do not tend to travel well.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
