Chievo are set to welcome Cagliari to the Stadio Bentegodi during week 33 of the Serie A season with both sides coming off the back of positive results in their previous matches.
The Flying Donkeys will certainly be hoping to maintain 14th position in the Serie A table after their impressive 1-1 draw against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, whereas the Isolani will once again be fighting for their survival as the threat of relegation still looms large as they struggle in 18th place.
Newly appointed Rossoblu coach Gianluca Festa will praying that his side will be able to replicate their performance from Sunday, when they managed to obtain a shock 3-1 victory away at sixth place Fiorentina, as they to claw back the seven point gap that currently keeps them adrift from safety.
It was during this surprising mainland victory that Cagliari came alive. Duje Cop, a man who previously only scored once all season, managed to bag himself a brace and Festa will be hoping that his side can rely upon him once again to get the necessary goals.
However, if the first encounter between the two sides this season is anything to go by, it will be Chievo’s strikers who will be sure to be wreaking havoc amongst the Cagliari defence.
In a fairly one-sided match that eventually finished 2-0, both Alberto Paloschi and Riccardo Meggiorini got on the score-sheet and it seems that these two will most likely be leading the line once again.
Cagliari may have learnt their lessons from the first match but they should be increasingly wary of Paloschi, who is sure to be brimming with confidence after his superb strike against Lazio.
In terms of injuries and suspensions, Cagliari have the most worries due to their joint top-scorer Marco Sau still being out with injury, although on a positive note, they will be glad to have their goalscoring duo of Diego Farias and Duje Cop free of any issues and available to play.
On the other hand, Chievo coach Rolando Maran has no new injury concerns with his sole absentee still being Federico Mattiello.
Form Guide: Chievo (W-W-L-W-D-D), Cagliari (W-L-L-L-L-D)
Expected starting XIs
Chievo: Bizzarri; Zukanovic, Cesar, Dainelli, Frey; Birsa, Hetemaj, Izco, Radovanovic; Meggiorini, Paloshi.
Cagliari: Brkic; Avelar, Diakite, Ceppitelli, Balzano; Ekdal, Conti, Dessena, Cossu; Cop, Mpoku.
