Football Season Guide

Having spent just one season in the second tier of the Italian football, Cagliari are now ready for the new Serie A campaign, confident that they will not be fighting against relegation this time around. In fact, President Giulini, whose inexperience cost the Sardinians dear during the last stint in the top league, has tried to avoid all the mistakes made during his first year in charge. And he had actually made plenty of them. No gurus, like Zeman last time out, were hired but, instead, Giulini decided for the confirmation of coach Rastelli, the architect of their past triumphal march in Serie B. Then, he opted to invest in a group of players with relevant Serie A experience in order to replace those players like Tello and Cerri, who were fundamental for the promotion but whose loans came to an end in June, and to give the squad some needed depth. Thus, the free Borriello was hired in order to provide some goals and to act as Farias’s partner in the attack while the likes of Padoin, Isla and Ionita are supposed to be strengthening the midfield with Pajac as a possible surprise. The seasoned Bruno Alves should be given the keys of the defence alongside the confirmed Ceppitelli. With Storari in goals, Pisacane and Murru as the full-backs, Di Gennaro should act in the middle of the park while Joao Pedro should be the attacking midfielder in a classic 4-3-1-2 formation.