Cagliari finally make their debut under new coach Walter Zenga, but miss two star players, while Hellas Verona resume their push for Europe.
It kicks off at the Stadio Bentegodi at 20.45 UK time (19.45 GMT).
Cagliari finally make their debut under new coach Walter Zenga, but miss two star players, while Hellas Verona resume their push for Europe.
It kicks off at the Stadio Bentegodi at 20.45 UK time (19.45 GMT).
It has been a chaotic few months for Cagliari, as they were challenging for a top four finish in the early stages of the season, then crumbled and sacked coach Rolando Maran on March 3.
Zenga was appointed, but then this Week 25 fixture was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, so he still hasn’t been able to make his debut and for at least two months couldn’t work with the squad either.
The new boss doesn’t have a full team for this match, as Radja Nainggolan, Leonardo Pavoletti, Christian Oliva and Paolo Faragò are injured, with top scorer Joao Pedro suspended.
It means Giovanni Simeone has to lead the line with January signing Gaston Pereiro, but the most important switch is a move to 3-5-2 tactics.
Hellas Verona were promoted via the Serie B play-offs last summer, but find themselves challenging for a place in Europe after a tremendous season so far.
Valentin Eysseric is the only absentee, as Samuel Di Carmine surprisingly leads the attack with support from Valerio Verre and Fabio Borini.
Verona are unbeaten in 10 Serie A home games against Cagliari, winning seven of them, including four victories on the trot.
Verona: Silvestri; Rrahmani, Kumbulla, Empereur; Faraoni, Amrabat, Badu, Lazovic; Verre, Borini; Di Carmine
Verona bench: Berardi, Radunovic, Veloso, Stepinski, Pazzini, Bocchetti, Lucas, Zaccagni, Gunter, Dimarco, Salcedo, Adjapong
Cagliari: Cragno; Cacciatore, Ceppitelli, Pisacane; Nandez, Ionita, Cigarini, Rog, Pellegrini; Simeone, Pereiro
Cagliari bench: Olsen, Rafael, Carboni, Klavan, Lykogiannis, Mattiello, Walukiewicz, Birsa, Ladinetti, Lombardi, Paloschi
Ref: Manganiello