Football Season Guide

The past campaign was a 2-faced one for Cagliari, who were fighting for a top 4 place until mid-December and, after a shocking and unfair 1-2 last-second home defeat to Lazio, then started an inexorable fall which saw coach Rolando Maran sacked before the Covid-19 break, and replaced by Walter Zenga. This was not a lucky change, though, as they eventually closed the season on the 14th standing, winning only 3 out of 13 with the new man in charge. Coach Zenga was immediately let go and ambitious President Giulini went for a fancier Eusebio Di Francesco, capable of wonders with Sassuolo and in his first season at Roma, but later disastrous with both the Wolves and Sampdoria. The summer transfer campaign was quite a busy one for the Sardinians, both in terms or arrivals and departures. First of all, they got rid of a whole group of players who, due to age, would have not had many chances to play with the new coach. Among them, right-back Cacciatore and playmaker Cigarini, who were both starters for big chunks of the past campaign. Then, they also saw the painful returns of Nainggolan, the heart and soul of the team, and left-back Pellegrini to their parent clubs, after a season as protagonists. Reliable Ionita was also given a chance to go for a starting place in newly-promoted Benevento. The good news is that they managed to sign permanently solid midfielder Rog and forward Simeone, capable of 12 goals and 4 assists last season, while promising playmaker Marin arrives from Ajax on loan and is gradually likely to become a regular. Other than that, they see the return home of players who had been loaned out: among them centre-back Romagna and midfielder Deiola might be set for a new permanence in Sardinia. At the moment, Cagliari are still looking for more quality and experience in the heart of the defence, while also at full-backs and on the wings. Moreover, they are also trying to convince Inter to let them have Nainggolan for good. And that would be a great result also and not only for his versatility on the pitch.