Inter will resume their Serie A title defence when they head to the island of Sardinia.
Cagliari vs Inter best bets
- Inter to win to nil – 6/4 with Betfred
- Inter/Inter half-time/full-time – 54/25 with SBK
- Marcus Thuram to score any time – 5/4 with Copybet
Cagliari vs Inter odds
Find the latest match odds for Cagliari vs Inter. All odds are provided by our best football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.
Cagliari vs Inter predictions
Atalanta were top of the tree at Christmas in Serie A, but they are not the bookies’ favourites to win the title as the new year fast approaches.
That status belongs to Inter, the defending champions. The Nerazzurri might be third in the table at present, but they are only three points behind Atalanta and have a game in hand on the league leaders and the other teams around them.
Although only nine points separate Atalanta in first from Juventus in seventh, the consensus is that this year’s title race involves the three horses of Atalanta, Napoli and Inter.
Simone Inzaghi’s men won the championship at a canter last time out, but they can expect to be pushed much closer in 2024/25.
Atalanta are on a remarkable 11-game winning run at the moment, while any team managed by Antonio Conte – as Napoli are – is a force to be reckoned with in his first campaign at the helm. Inter will hope that last season’s experience gives them the edge.
Inzaghi’s side got off to a shaky start, drawing two of their first four games and then losing the derby to AC Milan. Since then, however, they have been pretty reliable across both Serie A and the Champions League.
Indeed, Inter are 11 games unbeaten in the league and just two of those, against Juventus and Napoli, were draws. Only Atalanta have collected more points since the end of September.
The underlying numbers are also in the favour of Inter, who rank top of Serie A for expected goals difference (a comparison of the quality of chances a team creates and concedes). Their actual goal difference of +27 is also a league high.
“We are running but other teams are running with us, not only Atalanta and Napoli but also Fiorentina, Lazio, Juventus and Milan,” Inzaghi said last week.
“I knew it would be an open league, with pitfalls, and every day you have to be good at recovering strength and energy. My wish is to always have players available, I’m rotating a lot also for this reason.”
Inter have the squad depth to compete on multiple fronts, but Serie A is their bread and butter. Despite the intense competition, finishing anywhere other than first would be a disappointment.
Cagliari vs Inter betting tips
Cagliari host reigning champions Inter in the first set of Serie A matches after Christmas.
Inter to win to nil
Cagliari have only won one of their last five games, although they have had to face AC Milan, Fiorentina and Atalanta in that time.
The club from Sardinia lost to the latter pair without scoring and we envisage a similar outcome when they welcome Inter to Unipol Domus for their final game of 2024.
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Cagliari have failed to score in eight of their 17 matches up to now. No team in Serie A has a worse record in that regard.
Inter have kept a clean sheet in three of their last four league games, while their goalkeeper Yann Sommer has shut out opposition attacks in exactly half of his 16 appearances.
We fancy the Nerazzurri to keep the back door shut in this teatime kick-off on Saturday.
⚽ Choose an Inter win to nil at 6/4 with Betfred ⚽
Inter/Inter half-time/full-time
Inter have been quick out of the blocks this season. They are joint-top for goals in the first half alongside Atalanta, who have played a game more.
The Nerazzurri have struck 21 times between minutes one and 45, and there is a good chance they will do just that against Cagliari.
Davide Nicola’s men have the second-worst first-half record in the division, ahead of only Hellas Verona. They have been behind at the break in more than half of their 17 fixtures.
That bodes well for Inter, who will be difficult to peg back if they get their noses in front.
⚽ Back Inter/Inter in the half-time/full-time market at 54/25 with SBK ⚽
Marcus Thuram to score any time
Marcus Thuram is enjoying a terrific season for Inter. The France international has been one of the most influential players in Serie A in the first half of the campaign.
Having scored 12 times, Thuram is level with Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui at the top of the scoring charts.
He has also chipped in with three assists, which means no one in the league has had a direct hand in more goals than Thuram.
“[Thuram] worked well,” Inzaghi said of the forward after the recent 2-0 victory over Como.
“He always trains very well, he adapted immediately to our principles. He must not stop, he is helping us a lot and he must continue – he is a quality player.”
Do not be surprised if Thuram proves his manager right against Cagliari.
⚽ Tip Marcus Thuram to score any time at 5/4 with Copybet ⚽
???? How to watch Cagliari vs Inter
- Location: Unipol Domus, Cagliari, Italy.
- Date and time: Saturday 28th December, 5pm.
- How to watch: TNT Sports 2, OneFootball.
Read more about the 2024/25 football season
About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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