Cosenza-Cagliari is a match of the thirty-eighth day of Serie B and is played on Friday at 20:30: lineups, predictions, TV and streaming.
Everything in ninety minutes. This is nothing new for Cosenza, now accustomed to playing for their lives in the last round of the regular season. Thus looms another heart-stopping finale for the Lupi, who last year nabbed salvation only after a double playout against Vicenza. And this time, too, staying in Serie B could go through the playoffs.
William Viali’s men, who until a couple of months ago appeared doomed, managed to avoid direct relegation thanks to a long series of useful results obtained from mid-March onward. The only defeat in the last nine games (three wins and five draws) is the one they suffered in the direct clash with Brescia, a team that the Calabrian red and blue could find themselves facing in the playout. Cosenza has 40 points: it could save itself without a playout only if it beats Cagliari at the “Marulla” and at the same time Cittadella, on 42 points, loses to Como, which is already safe. In the event of a tie on points with the Venetians and Ternana (43) – the Umbrians face Frosinone, promoted to A by three days – Cosenza itself would have the worst of it because of the classification avulsa. Realistically, Viali’s team will first try to make sure they have a chance to play the return leg of a possible playout in front of their own public.
Cosenza could still avoid the playout
And to make it, it will have to score more points than Brescia (39) and Perugia (36) two teams with which, in case of a tie on points, it would have the worst chance because of the goal difference in direct clashes. The problem, for Cosenza, is that Cagliari will also arrive in Calabria hungry for points.
The Sardinians, fresh off three wins in a row, still have a chance to leapfrog Sudtirol into fourth place – the Alto Adige’s have one more point – and avoid the preliminary round of the playoffs. Claudio Ranieri’s men are not the architects of their own destiny in any case, since at the same time they must hope that Pierpaolo Bisoli’s team does not beat a Modena side with no more realistic goals after securing direct salvation.
Cosenza-Cagliari: the latest news on the lineups
In Cosenza it will be Venturi’s turn to replace the disqualified Vaisanen in the center of defense, while the absence of young Nasti in attack weighs heavily. Green light for jewel Florenzi in midfield, up front D’Urso and Zilli should play instead.
Azzi
On the other hand, Ranieri might decide to keep some starters on the bench: Nandez, Makoumbou, Luvumbo and Goldaniga are among the cautioned players and the risk is to miss the first playoff game. Absent for sure instead are Capradossi and Falco.
The Prediction
Cosenza has perhaps some more motivation than Cagliari and in these last 90 minutes of the championship will try desperately to avoid the playout. The Sardinians, however, are in great shape and are unlikely to be in the mood for gifts against a team that has won as many as 17 points in this tournament. The feeling is that they will score both.
The probable lineups of Cosenza-Cagliari
- COSENZA (4-4-2): Micai; Martino, Venturi, Meroni, D’Orazio; Marras, Voca, Brescianini, Florenzi; D’Urso, Zilli.
- CAGLIARI (4-3-1-2): Radunovic; Zappa, Dossena, Altare, Azzi; Nandez, Makoumbou, Deiola; Mancosu; Lapadula, Prelec.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
