Cagliari-Bari is a match valid for the first leg of the Serie B play-off final and is played on Thursday at 20:30: odds, predictions, TV and streaming.
A cracking double final. There couldn’t have been a better epilogue to these Serie B playoffs. Yes, Parma, the most emblazoned club in the Serie B, are missing, but Cagliari and Bari, two hot, football-hungry clubs with a history of 42 and 30 appearances in the top flight respectively, are certainly not to be outdone.
The Rossoblù have changed gear since the arrival of Claudio Ranieri and are now 180 minutes away from an immediate return to Serie A, lost on the last day last year. For the Apulians, on the other hand, it would be the closing of a circle: it has been since the 2010-11 season that they have not participated in the highest championship and in these long 12 years they have also had to come to terms with a painful bankruptcy. It will be Michele Mignani’s Galletti, in the hunt for their second consecutive promotion – last year they played in Serie C – who will have a significant advantage: in the event of a draw at the end of the two matches, in fact, there will be no extra time or penalties but the team that finished highest in the regular season will be promoted, in this case Bari, who finished behind Frosinone and Genoa. Having started directly from the semifinals, the Biancorossi were able to retake Sudtirol a week ago in front of more than 50,000 spectators at the San Nicola. The first leg had ended 1-0, which is why Mignani’s men had to win by at least a goal. The goal came 20 minutes from the end through Benedetti, despite the Apulian team being left with 10 men after Ricci was sent off.
Bari in A with two draws
Cagliari’s qualification is also very much in the bag. The 3-2 win over Parma in the first leg was decisive: down by two goals in the first half, the Sardinians didn’t lose heart, eventually overturning the Emilians with the usual Lapadula and a double from Luvumbo
Esposito
In Emilia, Ranieri’s team had the luxury of managing and controlling the match, preventing Pecchia’s men (0-0) from scoring the goal that would have reopened everything. The last previous meeting between the two teams dates back to February: at the San Nicola stadium it ended 1-1, while last September it was the Biancorossi who defeated the Unipol Domus 0-1, although that was a completely different Cagliari, still unregenerated by the Ranieri cure.
Cagliari-Bari: the latest line-up news
Ranieri’s biggest worry is Lapadula. The Italian-Peruvian striker came off badly in the last match against Parma but he should grit his teeth and recompose the attacking pair with Luvumbo. Dossena will not be there as he is disqualified.
In Bari it will be Mazzotta’s turn to take the place of the disqualified Ricci, while on the three-quarter Folorunsho could start again from the bench. In attack, Cheddira and Esposito are sure of a starting jersey. Possible chance for Morachioli.
The prediction
Both are travelling on the wings of enthusiasm and it is very difficult to identify a clear favourite, although in terms of quality of the squad but above all experience Cagliari seem to have something more. The Sardinians, obliged to win in order not to be forced to do so in a sold-out San Nicola, are undefeated in front of their own public for 17 matches, although they have always conceded at least one goal in the last four. They should avoid defeat this time as well, in a match of at least two goals overall.
Cagliari v Bari likely line-up
- CAGLIARI (4-3-1-2): Radunovic; Zappa, Goldaniga, Altare, Azzi; Nandez, Makombou, Deiola; Mancosu; Lapadula, Luvumbo.
- BARI (4-3-3): Caprile; Dorval, Di Cesare, Vicari, Mazzotta; Maita, Maiello, Benedetti; Cheddira, Esposito, Morachioli.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
