As Cagliari ready themselves for a trip to Sampdoria in round six, Marco Jackson remembers a meeting of the two, in which the Sardinians came into the game with huge ambitions.
Expectation is a strange thing in football and can affect teams, and fans, in different ways. While the Cagliari who entered Serie A for the first time in the mid-1960s enjoyed some good finishes, they were never burdened with the pressure of having to do so.
They will travel to Sampdoria at the weekend without that weight of expectation; nearly 50 years on, the Isolani’s supporters have had almost half a century to cast aside the season of joy that began with that self-same trip to Liguria.
Then, the level of expectation had risen as the decade wore on and when Maglio Scopigno’s side finished second in both league and cup in 1968/69, they were immediately promoted in people’s minds – a team of men grown from the side of boys that had entered the division; the most likely challengers to Scudetto holders Fiorentina.
As such, Cagliari entered the 1969-70 season with expectation riding high not least because of star striker Luigi Riva. Riva was a talent unlike any other in the game at the time. He earned his nickname ‘the rumble of thunder’ from the ferocity of his shooting, and while he was the most important player in the Isolani side, they were a complete side.
During 1968-69, seven Rossoblu players were ever-present. Riva missed a single game but scored 20 goals in just 29 matches. As so often when smaller sides impress themselves into the upper echelons, vultures hovered.
President Efisio Corrias was not to be cowed, ensuring that while Inter might have pounced on Roberto Boninsegna, one of those ever presents, he came away with Cesare Poli, Sergio Gori and Angelo Domenghini in return.
All three newcomers were to make an impact with their new clubs, and all were set to feature in the opener, as Cagliari fans had every reason to be abuzz, then, as their side started what was expected to be a pivotal campaign with a trip to Sampdoria.
Both sides share a number of things in common, and more as time progresses. Both have a solitary Serie A title to their name, a record shared with just Hellas Verona. Each has spent significant time in Serie B and won that division’s title just once as well.
The Blucerchiati were going into the season coached by former Scudetto winner Fulvio Bernardini, but his side were unlikely to play the ‘football from the heavens’ of his Bologna side. He had guided them to 12th the previous campaign and they welcomed Cagliari to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris with more hope than expectation.
The Rossoblu were starting the campaign as one of five sides expected to challenge for the Scudetto, so they needed to hit the ground running. To that end, the new recruits were all present with Domenghini and Gori starting. Meanwhile, Poli came off the bench after an hour to replace Mario Brugnera, another of the ever presents from the previous campaign.
Even with Luigi Riva, Cagliari toiled without reward. Never the most prolific side – Riva’s 21 the previous year made up more than half of his club’s goals – the expectation seemed to hit the team in a negative way on the opening day of the season.
When, for once, they were expected to win, they had forgotten how to do so. Their wingers failed to push forward and Domenghini sat back, exerting little influence on the game. Deprived of service, even Riva struggled.
Domenghini, as it happened, came the closest to breaking the deadlock, rattling a drive against the post, but it wasn’t to be. The game ended goalless;
In the face of the result, the opposite sides of expectation were revealed in the reactions of the two coaches. Knowing his side were unfancied, Bernardini was able to make the best of the outcome.
“A draw,” he admitted, “albeit at home to Cagliari, and I’m fine.”
Scopigno had no such cushion to fall back on. His side were expected to win, and failing to do so was a disappointment.
“An away point, why should I complain?” he asked, “Maybe the game. If we’re talking about the game, I wasn’t impressed, but we’re only just beginning, my goodness, we’re right at the beginning. We will come good.”
He was to be proven right. By Christmas, Cagliari were top of the table, and by summer they were champions.
