Monza's defensive crisis faces its toughest test yet against surging Cagliari
Ivan Juric's struggling Monza, second-worst defensively in Serie A, host a Cagliari side unbeaten in four and missing suspended coach Fabio Pisacane.
Monza's return to Serie A has exposed the same problem in six different ways: they cannot keep the ball out of their own net. Ivan Juric's side arrive at the U-Power Stadium with four points from six games and 15 goals conceded, the second-worst defensive record in the division, according to Football Italia. A 3-1 defeat at Lazio last time out did nothing to change that trend.
Cagliari present almost the opposite picture. Thirteen points from six matches and an unbeaten run stretching back four games make them one of the division's early surprises, Football Italia reports. A 1-1 draw with Juventus in their last outing underlined their resilience against the division's bigger sides.
Juric's back three must cover for a key absence
Juric sends out Monza in a back three of Kouadio, Goglichidze and Carboni, with Birindelli and Mangas providing the width as wing-backs either side of Ondoa and Akinsammiro in central midfield. Goglichidze's inclusion is forced rather than chosen: Lorenzo Lucchesi is suspended, leaving a reshaped back line to face a Cagliari front pairing of M'Bala Nzola and Paul Mendy.
Ahead of that defence, Dany Mota and Gustavo Varela come into an attacking trio alongside Robinson. Varela has been the one consistent source of good news in a difficult start to the campaign, with four goals in his first five Serie A appearances. A team shipping goals at this rate needs that kind of output at the other end simply to stay competitive, and Monza's results so far suggest the defensive issues have outweighed what the front line has produced.
Monza's injury list extends well beyond the suspended Lucchesi. Matteo Pessina, Idrissa Touré, Jan Ziolkowski, Zeballos and Mayé are all unavailable, thinning out the options Juric has to rotate a back three that has already conceded so freely. Patrick Ciurria's return to the squad is the only piece of positive team news on that side.
Cagliari adapt to life without their suspended coach
Cagliari travel without Fabio Pisacane on the touchline. He is suspended following a dispute with Lazio coach Luciano Spalletti, and assistant Giacomo Murelli takes his place in the dugout, per Football Italia. Murelli has set his side up with Nzola and Mendy as a front two and Daniel Maldini operating just behind them, a direct No.10 role that matches Maldini's output this season: four goals in six appearances.
Maldini's return carries extra weight given his history at Monza, the club he left before his move to Cagliari. Facing a former side is rarely just another fixture, and Murelli has built his attack around giving Maldini license to operate close to Nzola and Mendy rather than dropping deeper into midfield.
In defence, Murelli has preferred Yerry Mina over captain Alessandro Deiola, pairing him with Ze Pedro, Rodriguez and Obert in front of goalkeeper Caprile. Cagliari are missing Mattia Felici and Riyad Idrissi, both out with cruciate ligament injuries, as well as Yael Trepy, but their squad depth has clearly not stopped them taking 13 points from six games.
History favours Juric, form favours Cagliari
The broader record between these two sides complicates any straightforward reading of the match. Juric has lost just one of his last nine Serie A meetings with Cagliari, with four wins and four draws in that span, a notable contrast with how poorly his current Monza team has performed overall this season.
That historical edge sits awkwardly alongside the present-day form guide. Cagliari arrive unbeaten in four and have already shown they can match a side of Juventus's quality, while Monza have won only once in six since their promotion. Whether Juric's individual record against this opponent counts for more than his team's defensive frailties this season is exactly what Matchday 7 at the U-Power Stadium is set to test.