Nicolo Barella seemingly starts as a No 10 for Cagliari against a strong Atalanta in the Coppa Italia last 16 this afternoon.
Filip Bradaric and Diego Farias are only substitutes, as is new signing Valter Birsa, so Barella – who has been heavily linked with the likes of Chelsea and Napoli – appears to be playing just off Joao Pedro and Leonardo Pavoletti.
Nicolo Barella seemingly starts as a No 10 for Cagliari against a strong Atalanta in the Coppa Italia last 16 this afternoon.
Filip Bradaric and Diego Farias are only substitutes, as is new signing Valter Birsa, so Barella – who has been heavily linked with the likes of Chelsea and Napoli – appears to be playing just off Joao Pedro and Leonardo Pavoletti.
However, Rolando Maran is unable to call on Ragnar Klavan, Alberto Cerri and long-term casualty Lucas Castro, while captain Daniele Dessena has joined Brescia and Fabio Pisacane is surprisingly omitted.
Atalanta, meanwhile, are without Etrit Berisha, Marten de Roon, Robin Gosens and Marco Varnier, but they nonetheless take to the field with in-form front three Alejandro Gomez, Josip Ilicic and Duvan Zapata.
The winner in Sardinia will face cup holders Juventus in the quarter-finals.
Cagliari: Cragno; Srna, Ceppitelli, Romagna, Padoin; Farago, Cigarini, Ionita; Barella, Joao Pedro, Pavoletti
Subs: Rafael, Andreolli, Lykogiannis, Pajac, Birsa, Bradaric, Lella, Farias, Verde
Atalanta: Gollini; Toloi, Djimsiti, Palomino; Hateboer, Freuler, Pessina, Castagne; Papu, Ilicic; Zapata
Subs: Okoli, Tumminello, Colpano, Del Prato, Carnesecchi, Reca, Rossi, Kulusevski, Mancini,
Referee: Piccinini