Torino vs Cagliari Predictions

• Torino conceded in 74% of their home games last term
• The hosts started this season by conceding at home to a Serie B side in the cup
• Cagliari had a long playoff campaign and look a little underprepared for their top-flight return

Cagliari make top-flight return

Claudio Ranieri led Cagliari straight back to Serie A last term, with the Sardinian club navigating an incredibly dramatic playoff run. Drawing 0-0 in a win-or-bust game against Bari, Leonardo Pavoletti struck a 90th-minute winner to send the club up.

Pavoletti isn’t quite at the heights of his 16-goal season in 2018/19 but the forward remains a real presence for Cagliari and he’ll be crucial to their campaign, which kicks-off with Monday’s visit to Turin.

More home truths for Torino

Torino finished 10th in Serie A last term in spite of their home record, not because of it. The Turin club won just five of 19 home games and they conceded in 74% of their matches at their own ground.

The hosts saw both teams score in four of their final five home matches last term, failing to keep a clean sheet in each of their last seven Serie A matches at their own ground. The 2023/24 season kicked off for them at home against Serie B side FeralpiSalo last week and Torino conceded in that game too.

There’s likely to be an adjustment period at the top for Cagliari and the fact they have not achieved a single win in their last seven Serie A season openers (D3 L4) suggest they’ll concede. As a result, look to both teams to score here, with a 1-1 draw the standout correct score option.