Turin, 17 December 2024 – La Juventus debuts in the Italian Cup. The objective for the Old Lady is to defend the title won last season, when in the final played in Rome they beat Atalanta thanks to a goal from Dusan Vlahovic. The first obstacle on the Bianconeri’s path is called Cagliari. The Sardinians have already played two matches in the competition: in the thirty-second round they won 3-1 against Carraresewhile in the round of 32 they prevailed Cremonese with the score 1-0. This year the two teams have already faced each other at the Allianz Stadium in the championship, with the rossoblù drawing 1-1 thanks to a late goal in Marinto respond to Vlahovic’s.
The precedents
Juventus have won their last two matches Italian Cup against the Cagliariboth with a score of 1-0, in 2012 and 1989, after the Bianconeri had achieved only one success in the previous five (3N, 1L); in fact, in the competition, the Sardinians beat the Bianconeri only once: 1-0, on 19 March 1969, in the first leg of the quarter-finals. The Sardinians have won only one of their last 27 matches (W21, D5) against the Old Lady in all competitions, drawing the most recent two; the last time the two teams played multiple games in a row was between December 1990 and September 1992 (five in that case, all in Serie A). Since the start of 2010, Madama has scored 60 goals against Cagliari in 27 matches in all competitions: less than against Lazio (72) and Udinese (66); furthermore, only once did the Bianconeri fail to find the net in the period against the Sardinians: on 29 July 2020 (0-2). Only against Milan, the islanders have lost more games (47) in Serie A than against the Piedmontese (45); furthermore, the Sardinians have conceded 128 goals against the Bianconeri in the top tournament, and have conceded more only against the Rossoneri (135), Roma (139) and Inter (149). There Juventus has never lost at home in the Italian Cup against Cagliari: two draws were followed by the success of 2012 (goal by Sebastian Giovinco). Overall, over the last 60 years (since 1964/65) Cagliari have won only three matches (W27, D17) at the Old Lady in all competitions, the most recent on 31 January 2009 (2-3).
Curiosities
Juventus is, with Milan, one of the two teams to have participated in the round of 16 of the Italian Cup in multiple seasons (51 before this season); the Bianconeri have won all the last 16 single-match matches played in this round, from 2009 onwards. The last time the Old Lady did not get past the round of 16 of the Italian Cup dates back to the 2004/05 season with Fabio Capello on the bench: defeat in the first leg away (0-2) and draw in the return leg at home (3-3) against Atalanta; while the last time the Bianconeri lost a home match at this point in the tournament was on 18 December 2002, against Reggina; since then, 18 victories and a draw within friendly walls. The Piedmontese team drew 12 of their first 22 matches of the season for the first time since the single-group Serie A existed (since 1929/30). Madama is, together with Liverpool, one of only two teams in the five major European championships in progress to have lost at most one match in the season considering all competitions (for the Bianconeri only one defeat, against Stuttgart in the Champions League). Juventus have not lost at home in the Italian Cup since March 2015against Fiorentina; since then, the Bianconeri have achieved 20 wins and three draws, keeping 13 clean sheets: it is the longest domestic unbeaten streak in the competition. Cagliari have won their last two Coppa Italia matches and have not achieved three successes in a row in the competition since the period between September and November 2004. The Sardinians have been eliminated on all the last 10 occasions in which they have participated in the round of 16 of the Cup Italy; the last time they passed this round dates back to 2004/05, against Lazio. The rossoblù qualified for this round of 16 thanks to the 1-0 victory against Cremonese last September 24th; the islanders have not collected two ‘clean sheets’ in a row in the Italian Cup since August 2001 (4-0 against Modena and 0-0 against Lumezzane). Cagliari has remained unbeaten in three of the last six away games played this season, thanks to one win and two draws, one of which was against Juventus, 1-1 on 6 October. After remaining unbeaten for three games in a row in Serie A (W1, D2), the rossoblù lost the two most recent ones in the competition, without managing to score; the last time Cagliari failed to find the net in three consecutive matches in all competitions dates back to last September.
Nicola’s words
These are the words of Davide Nicola ahead of the clash with Juventus. “Atalanta is the past, this is a different competition, with completely different dynamics. I told the boys to go onto the pitch with pride and with the desire to compete against another great team. We deserved it and so it’s right Juventus is a renewed team, which made a quality transfer and demonstrated all its strength in Europe just a few days ago. They are playing their part in the league, fighting for different objectives than ours absolute quality. We will have to be at most, because if you don’t have a super performance against teams like this, you struggle, these teams can then not be at the top and perhaps end up with a less good result, we will have to be good at creating opportunities. The squad is almost all available, I still have to evaluate some situations, they won’t be part of the match Jankto, Obert and LuvumboWe will see about Zito’s condition in the next few days with the doctors and we will understand when he will be available again. Scuffet will certainly be between the posts; in defense Zappa, Palominoone among Mina e Wieteska, Augello; midfield Marin, Follow e DeiolaI have to evaluate Happy; in front of Lapadula e Gaetanobut as the race progresses we will also be able to see Pavoletti and Piccoli, but in general the idea is to play the game as best as possible by managing energy in the right way and choosing based on what the match script asks of us. The motivation is very high, but you also need the awareness of knowing how to manage certain moments of the race. They are not exams, they are matches that allow us to compete at a high level, in a different but equally fascinating competition. We feel good and are 100% focused on tomorrow night’s race, because these races must be used to grow and to continue working with pride. Competing against a team of this level is an important opportunity for us.”
Probable lineups
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Perin; Savona, Gatti, Kalulu, Danilo; McKennie, Locatelli; Weah, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Vlahovic. All. Motta.
Cagliari (4-2-3-1): Scuffet; Zappa, Palomino, Luperto, Obert; Makoumbou, Marin; Happy, Viola, Luvumbo; Small. All. Nicola.
Time and where to see the meeting
Juventus-Cagliari is scheduled for today, Tuesday 17 Decemberwith kick-off scheduled all 21. The match will be broadcast live and exclusively on Italia Uno. It will also be possible to watch the match in streaming on sportmediaset.it and on Mediaset Infinity.
The arbitrator’s appointment
Ermanno Feliciani he was designated to manage Juventus-Cagliari. The referee of the Teramo section will be assisted by assistants Valerio Vecchi (Lamezia Terme) and Vittorio Di Gioia (Nola). The fourth official of the match is Kevin Bonacina from Bergamo. At VAR Ivano Pezzuto (Lecce) and Aleandro Di Paolo (Avezzano).
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