Cagliari led Juventus 1-0 at half-time in their Serie A matchday six fixture at the Unipol Domus on Sunday, after Daniel Maldini scored in the 20th minute. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, it was Maldini's fourth goal in four consecutive games.
The home side, coached by Pisacane, went in ahead at the interval. Juventus, under Luciano Spalletti, held most of the ball but rarely troubled Cagliari goalkeeper Caprile in a meaningful way before the break, the same outlet reported.
Juventus played the match in their pink second kit.
Why it matters
The result, as it stood at the interval, would extend a strong run for Cagliari, who began the day high in the table and in what their president described as a confident moment for the club.
For Juventus, the first half underlined a familiar problem under Spalletti: possession without penetration. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the coach had already changed formation during the opening period, moving to a 4-4-1-1, without managing to create real danger for Caprile.
How the opening goal came
La Gazzetta dello Sport described the move behind Cagliari's goal as a strong passage of play that also carried some luck. Maldini exchanged passes with Obert and then tried his luck from the edge of the area. The ball rebounded into Mendy, who returned it to Maldini, and the forward beat Vicario with what the outlet described as a penalty in open play.
Before that, Juventus had the first touches of the game, but Cagliari's spell of control followed. The home crowd, according to the same report, appreciated the way Pisacane's side managed the ball to break up Juventus's longer stretches of possession.
Juventus's chances and Spalletti's changes
Juventus's clearest opening of the first half came from a switch of play. Celik spread the ball from left to right, McKennie delivered into the box, and Nico Gonzalez met it with his knee, sending the ball just past Caprile's right post, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported.
Kolo Muani also had a moment. Sarr won the ball back high up the pitch from Winks and fed the French striker on the edge of the area; Kolo Muani beat his man, but Caprile was alert to the danger.
Another Juventus attack saw Kalulu played in behind and pull the ball back from the byline, with the Cagliari goalkeeper clearing it with a reflex save.
Spalletti's response to falling behind was a change of shape. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that he moved to a 4-4-1-1, with Conceiçao on the right, McKennie on the left and Nico Gonzalez playing behind Kolo Muani. The outlet noted that Juventus continued to circulate the ball at a fairly low tempo and kept looking for difficult balls in behind rather than finding easier routes to goal.
Cagliari, meanwhile, had chances of their own. A Cagliari midfielder forced the Juventus goalkeeper into a save with a powerful effort from the edge of the area, the ball turned behind for a corner with one hand. The outlet also reported that a Brazilian player for the home side had a shot from distance that finished well off target, and later a low effort from the edge of the box that the Juventus keeper gathered without difficulty.
What was said before kick-off
Spalletti spoke to DAZN shortly before the match. Asked about the previous season's defeat in this fixture, he said the game required his side to take charge, otherwise Cagliari would become an awkward opponent, and that they needed to be switched on from the start.
On Kolo Muani, Spalletti said there was a risk the striker could be too easily marked, adding that the Frenchman is not a player who holds the ball up as a reference point for defenders. He said Kolo Muani likes to drop in and combine because of his speed and his runs in behind, and that he wanted him to feel free to use those qualities.
On Nico Gonzalez's versatility, Spalletti said it makes things easier because the player can be given a section of the pitch and will cover ground everywhere, and praised his hunger and competitive edge.
The Cagliari president also spoke to DAZN. He said the club is aware it is playing well and wants to enjoy the moment, having spent three weeks near the top of the table, and that the team will give everything on the pitch as part of its identity. He called it a good feeling to have two starters called up by Italy, and said other players such as Caprile or Kofler would deserve the same. He described the current period as a positive one the club wants to prolong.
On Cagliari as a model, the president said that for a few years there has been real cohesion, with every part of the club working for Cagliari rather than for individual interests. He said that in the early years that was not possible, and that this unity now helps the club compete on equal terms with teams that have different budgets. On Maldini, he confirmed Cagliari hold a buy option with an obligation tied to a set number of goals.
A Juventus defender, back from international duty with France, told DAZN he returned with good feelings after winning several matches and said he was proud to represent his country. He said the win mattered most on the day, that Cagliari were full of confidence and sitting high in the table, and that it would be a good game to watch. On his team's flexibility, he said he copes well with it because it makes them less predictable and gives players more freedom, though he acknowledged it makes defending harder.
A Cagliari defender told DAZN he was delighted with his debut for Uruguay and called it a source of pride. He said the Juventus game would be difficult, that Cagliari had to keep the rhythm they had found and stay humble.
Team news
Cagliari lined up in a 4-3-2-1: Caprile; Ze Pedro, Mina, Rodriguez, Obert; Adopo, Winks, Romano; Massolin, Maldini; Mendy. Pisacane was in charge.
Juventus started in a 3-4-2-1: Vicario; Kalulu, Bremer, Lucumì; Celik, Sarr, Douglas Luiz, McKennie; Conceiçao, Nico Gonzalez; Kolo Muani. Spalletti was in charge.
At the restart, Cagliari made one change and Juventus made two, with the home side getting the first touch of the second half. DAZN reported that Spalletti went looking for Jerry Mina, whose behaviour in the first half had not gone down well with the Juventus coach.
The second half is under way, with Juventus still chasing an equaliser and Cagliari defending a one-goal lead.
