Roma are on sparkling form, but host the only side that held them to a stalemate this season, as their attack takes on Cagliari’s porous defence.
It kicks off at 19.45 GMT, follow the build-up and action on the LIVEBLOG.
Luciano Spalletti’s team are making a genuine Scudetto challenge to Juventus and he’s glad they have even started to ‘win ugly.’
Roma are on sparkling form, but host the only side that held them to a stalemate this season, as their attack takes on Cagliari’s porous defence.
It kicks off at 19.45 GMT, follow the build-up and action on the LIVEBLOG.
Luciano Spalletti’s team are making a genuine Scudetto challenge to Juventus and he’s glad they have even started to ‘win ugly.’
That’s unlikely this evening, because Cagliari have the worst defensive record in the division, conceding 44 goals in 20 games.
Roma are the second most prolific on 41 goals after Napoli’s 47 and on Thursday they crushed Sampdoria 4-0 in the Coppa Italia Round of 16, including a Radja Nainggolan masterpiece volley.
Juan Jesus is suspended and Alessandro Florenzi injured, while Mohamed Salah’s Egypt play in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Nainggolan therefore starts with Diego Perotti supporting Edin Dzeko.
Cagliari have Marco Capuano banned, while Simone Padoin, Artur Ionita, Davide Di Gennaro and Federico Melchiorri haven’t made the trip.
Marco Borriello leads the attack against his old club with Diego Farias and Nicolo Barella.
Panagiotis Tachtsidis also visits the Giallorossi are a less than popular spell under Zdenek Zeman.
The Sardinians have lost three of their last five meetings with Roma, not winning since a 4-2 thriller here in February 2013.
Back in August they came back from 2-0 down for a spectacular 2-2 draw.
Roma: Szczesny; Manolas, Fazio, Rudiger; Peres, De Rossi, Strootman, Emerson; Nainggolan, Perotti; Dzeko
Cagliari: Rafael; Pisacane, Ceppitelli, Alves, Murru; Isla, Tachtsidis, Dessena; Barella, Farias; Borriello