Opinion: Three Cagliari players Juventus must look out for

Club News

October 5, 2024 - 11:00 am

Fresh from a sensational come-from-behind victory over Leipzig in the Champions League, Juventus will be looking to remain in striking distance of Serie A leaders Napoli when they host Cagliari at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday’s early kickoff.

Slowly but surely, the team is beginning to take shape under the guidance of Thiago Motta, but was unfortunately dealt with a massive blow in the shape of Gleison Bremer’s ACL injury.

And with an international break to follow, the manager is unlikely to rotate this lineup, even against a team that has been struggling in the early going.

Nevertheless, the Sardinians finally earned their first victory of the season, so they’ll arrive in Turin with a little bit of confidence in the tank.

So let’s take a closer look at three Cagliari players who could prove to be dangerous for Juventus on Sunday.

Yerry Mina (Defender)

The 30-year-old is a vastly experienced centre-back who had stints at Barcelona, Everton and Fiorentina before joining the Isolani last winter.

The Colombian might be one of the most physically imposing players in Italian football. Therefore, he doesn’t solely utilize his strength and height at the back, but also has a knack for scoring goals, making him a nuisance at both ends of the pitch.

Gianluca Gaetano (Midfielder)

The Napoli youth product has only made three appearances thus far, and only one from the start.

But whether he’s in the starting lineup or coming off the bench, the 24-year-old can cause problems for the opposition with his clever plays and impressive passing range, as evidenced by the assist he provided for Roberto Piccoli for last weekend’s winner over Parma.

Roberto Piccoli (Striker)

Speaking of the devil, the 23-year-old had his moments during his stints at Atalanta and Lecce, but now, he looks hellbent on delivering the goods week in week out.

The Bergamo native has already settled in Davide Nicola’s starting up, and he’ll looking to put his pace, height, strong physique and finishing touch to good use, and emerge as one of the deadliest young strikers in Serie A.

The Allianz Stadium will now provide him a platform to make a statement, so Federico Gatti and Pierre Kalulu will have to remain on their toes to keep him at bay.