Following their six-goal thriller in Naples, Serie A title hopefuls Roma must try to claim maximum points when they welcome Cagliari to Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday.

Despite showing some steel to extend their unbeaten streak at the weekend, the Giallorossi lost ground to Lazio, who are now four points above their old foes.

Match preview

Boasting Serie A’s meanest defence and yet to concede an away goal, Roma sought their first win in Naples for more than eight years when they travelled south for Saturday’s Derby del Sole. 

However, events did not work out as planned, as the Giallorossi had to fight back twice against Napoli just to snatch a point at Stadio Maradona, where they tallied 24 shots but only four were on target - and three of those found the net.

Two goals down and apparently bound for defeat, Gian Piero Gasperini introduced Argentine trio Nahuel Molina, Santiago Castro and Leonardo Balerdi, and that move turned the game on its head.

Roma scored twice in five minutes - through Balerdi and another Argentina international, Matias Soule - only to fall behind once again. Remarkably, centre-back Balerdi then scored another leveller in the 89th minute, salvaging a 3-3 draw. 

Such resilience has helped Roma go undefeated through their last 15 Serie A games, though they have yet to beat a potential title rival this term, having also drawn with Como and Inter Milan.

Still behind reigning champions Inter and city rivals Lazio in the standings, the capital club must now try to make home advantage pay against Cagliari, which they usually tend to do.

While both sides won at home last season, Cagliari have not scored a goal or picked up a point away to Roma over the past four seasons.

Furthermore, the Sardinian club will head to Stadio Olimpico after a chastening pair of back-to-back defeats, which halted a very positive start to the current campaign.

After three straight wins and a 1-1 draw against Juventus, the Rossoblu crumbled to a shock 4-0 loss at newly promoted Monza, before slipping up again at the weekend.

Fabio Pisacane’s faltering side were beaten 2-0 at home by Bologna,  dropping them further down the table, and now their next two games will take place in Rome.

Before tackling Lazio, Cagliari must face the Biancocelesti’s bitter arch-rivals, and their record at the Olimpico makes that a forbidding task.

Roma Serie A form:

Roma form (all competitions):

Cagliari Serie A form:

Cagliari form (all competitions):

Team News

Although this will be Roma’s fourth game out of five on home turf - reducing their travel at a busy time of the season - they are likely to make several changes to the XI that started against Napoli.

A favourite of Gasperini’s, Bryan Cristante was passed fit to play and immediately made his first start for over a month, but midfield partner Manu Kone is still sidelined by injury.

First-choice goalkeeper Mile Svilar and former captain Lorenzo Pellegrini have also been ruled out, while it remains to be seen if Paulo Dybala can recover from a calf strain.

Meanwhile, Cagliari will be missing long-term absentees Riyad Idrissi and Mattia Felici, plus French forward Yael Trepy.

Harry Winks was withdrawn midway through Saturday’s game against Bologna with a back problem, so Pisacane may need to make a change in midfield.

While Donyell Malen is Roma’s leading scorer with six Serie A goals - and nine overall - Cagliari forward Daniel Maldini has scored twice apiece at home and away.

Roma possible starting lineup:

Gollini; Balerdi, Ndicka, Koulierakis; Lulli, De Roon, Cristante, Molina; Mora, Soule; Malen

Cagliari possible starting lineup:

Caprile; Ze Pedro, Mina, Rodriguez, Obert; Adopo, Gagliardini, Romano; Fadera, Maldini; Mendy

We say: Roma 2-0 Cagliari

Even though Cagliari have a surprisingly strong away record, few teams take anything away from the capital when Roma play host.

Gasperini's side are in the groove, and the prospect of falling further behind their Scudetto rivals should keep minds sufficiently sharp.  

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