Cagliari vs. Venezia, a battle for safety
Three crucial points up for grabs: Cagliari vs. Venezia could prove decisive, above all for the Sardinians who would secure safety if they were to win. Venezia are just four points behind their opponents, and would also confirm a spot in Serie A next year with a win.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
After their 4-0 defeat on November 6th 1966, Venezia are unbeaten in each of their last eight Serie A matches against Cagliari (W4 D4). Cagliari have only won two of their last eight league home matches against Venezia between Serie A and B (D4 L2) excluding the play-offs, also losing the most recent, 4-1, on October 1st 2022 in Serie B. Following their 2-1 win in the reverse fixture, Venezia could win both Serie A games in a season against Cagliari for the first time since 1998/99, under Walter Novellino.
DID YOU KNOW?
Venezia are unbeaten in nine (W2 D7) of their last 11 league games; in the period, the Arancioneroverdi would be in 12th place in Serie A table with 13 points, five more than Cagliari (17th). Venezia have attempted the most direct free kick shots (23) in Serie A in this season; in fact, only Bologna have won more fouls (124) in the final third than the Arancioneroverdi (93) in the current top-flight season (Cagliari have won the fewest with 56, alongside Juventus). Cagliari have lost six of their last 10 Serie A home matches (W3 D1), including the two most recent; the last time the Rossoblù suffered three defeats on their own patch in a row in a single top-flight season was in April 2022. Venezia have drawn each of their last five Serie A away games and the only time they went on a longer such streak in the competition was in April-December 1941 (six in that case); in general, however, the last team to have drawn six games in a row on the road in the top-flight was Lazio in 2016. Cagliari have lost their last Serie A home game in four of their last five Serie A league campaigns (W1), after winning four of their previous five (L1); more generally, their last draw in such matches in the top-flight was back to 2010/11 (against Parma).
PLAYERS
Roberto Piccoli has scored nine goals in the current Serie A season; since the start of the last decade, the only player to reach double figures for Cagliari in a single Serie A season when he was under 25 was Giovanni Simeone (10 goals in 2019/20, before his birthday). Since he enjoyed Venezia (on January 19th), Alessio Zerbin has made the most tackles (49) in Serie A; he provided an assist last time out against Fiorentina – has already started 15 games for the Venetiin in Serie A in 2024/25: more than he did between the first part of the current Serie A season for Napoli and the two previous top-flight seasons combined (10 games started in total).
DISCIPLINE
Suspended: Pavoletti (Cagliari) Cautioned: Luperto, Marin, Mina, Obert, Zappa (Cagliari); Cande, Idzes, Perez, Busio (Venezia)
REFEREE
PAIRETTO (IMPERIALE – CECCONI) IV: FELICIANI, VAR: MERAVIGLIA, AVAR: COLOMBO
UPCOMING MATCHES IN SERIE A
Napoli-Cagliari Venezia-Juventus (Photo Getty Images)