Udinese vs Cagliari

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Udinese will seek to build on their impressive victory against Juventus as they prepare to host Cagliari in Serie A this Sunday.

Meanwhile, Cagliari finds themselves on a four-game losing streak in the league, plunging them to second from bottom in the standings.

Ahead of their recent clash with Juventus, Udinese had only secured one win in their previous 12 league matches, making them underdogs against the Turin-based giants. However, Gabriele Cioffi's team emerged victorious with a 1-0 scoreline, significantly denting Juventus' title aspirations.

Lautaro Giannetti's goal in the 25th minute made all the difference in the match, with Udinese managing to convert their sole shot on target. Despite Juventus' attempts, including six shots on goal saved by Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, they couldn't find an equalizer.

Udinese's victory was crucial as they had slipped into the relegation zone before the unexpected triumph. This win elevated them to 15th place in the table. However, with only a three-point gap separating them from the relegation zone, they remain cautious about their position.

It's worth noting that Udinese has maintained their Serie A status since gaining promotion in 1995, despite consistently finishing in the bottom half of the table over the last decade. Therefore, their primary objective remains to secure survival once again, and a win against fellow relegation candidates Cagliari on Sunday would be a significant step towards achieving that goal.

Cagliari recently made a remarkable return to Serie A through the playoffs last season under the guidance of Claudio Ranieri, who took over as manager in January. Ranieri, 72, had previously led Cagliari to promotions from Serie C to Serie A during his first spell with the club from 1988 to 1991. Last season's dramatic playoff victory against Bari added another chapter to Ranieri's legacy with the club.

Survival in Serie A was always going to be a challenging task for Cagliari this season but not an impossible one. Despite spending most of their time in the top flight between 2004-05 and 2021-22, they faced a tough battle to stay up.

However, a string of four consecutive defeats has significantly complicated Ranieri's side's mission. Frosinone, Torino, Roma, and Lazio have all proven too strong for Cagliari, who have managed to gather only five points from their last 10 matches.

Their upcoming match against Udinese holds immense importance, as they enter a pivotal period with fixtures against fellow relegation contenders Empoli and Salernitana on the horizon. Ranieri will be counting on his players to deliver heroics in the remaining matches of the season if they are to pull off an impressive escape from relegation.

Udinese is set to continue without Enzo Ebosse and Gerard Deulofeu due to their ACL injuries, with both players racing against time to recover before the season's end. Vivaldo's thigh problem is likely to keep him out until the end of the month, while Jaka Bijol's sprained ankle kept him sidelined against Juventus and may do so once more.

Considering the impressive performance against Juventus, Coach Cioffi is unlikely to make many changes to the starting lineup. This could mean players like Isaac Success may again have to settle for impacting the game from the bench.

Cagliari, on the other hand, will likely be without several key players due to injury, including Marko Rog, Eldor Shomurodov, Marco Mancosu, Ibrahim Sulemana, Pantelis Hatzidiakos, and Gaetano Oristanio. Additionally, backup goalkeeper Simone Aresti is suspended following his red card against Lazio last weekend.

After their recent 3-1 defeat, Coach Ranieri might opt for some changes, potentially giving players like Alberto Dossena, Leonardo Pavoletti, and Zito Luvumbo a chance to feature, having come off the bench in the previous match.