CDM host Bologna in Sardinia with the table telling two different stories. Cagliari are seventh in Serie A with 13 points from seven matches, while Bologna sit 15th with 5 points from seven and are chasing only their second league win of gameweek eight. Daniel Maldini has also given the home side a clean attacking edge, which is why this feels like a difficult night for the visitors.
Cagliari's home edge
Cagliari's recent home form gives them a strong base at the Cagliari vs Bologna fixture. They have drawn with Juventus and beaten Lecce in their recent home sequence, and that sits alongside the wider early-season return of 13 points from seven matches. They also come in after taking four points from an available six since their 1-0 loss to Inter at the end of August.
That does not make them untouchable. Their 4-0 loss at Monza was a sharp setback, and Bologna can point to their own patchwork start, which has looked like a small recovery in some weeks and an indifferent one in others. Even so, the broader trend still favours Cagliari at home, where they have looked more settled than Bologna have away.
Maldini's early scoring form
Daniel Maldini has been a big part of that. He has already scored four league goals this season, two at home and two away, which means he has gone past last season's total of two before the campaign is even fully settled.
The more relevant detail for this match is that his scoring has not been venue dependent. Cagliari have a forward who is producing in different settings, and that gives them a threat Bologna have not matched through the opening seven games. Sports Mole's preview verdict also points the same way, calling it a 2-1 win for the home side and backing Cagliari's home form plus Maldini's blistering start as the main reasons for optimism.
Cagliari face Bologna on 24 October, and the visitors need a cleaner performance than the one their league return has suggested so far.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
