Udinese plunged Cagliari into a full-blown crisis with a dominant 4-0 victory in Sardinia, including two fantastic Gerard Deulofeu goals and Nahuel Molina rocket.
This was a relegation battle between a Sardinian side with just one Serie A win all season and the Friulani who made their debut under interim coach Gabriele Cioffi by holding Milan 1-1 after Luca Gotti’s dismissal. Kevin Strootman, Marko Rog and Sebastian Walukiewicz were out of action for the hosts, but Nahitan Nandez and Luca Ceppitelli returned. Roberto Pereyra was injured and Isaac Success suspended for the visitors.
Udinese broke the deadlock in the fourth minute, as Diego Godin gave the ball away building out from the back, Destiny Udogie rolled across for Jean-Victor Makengo, who at full stretch managed to anticipate two defenders by prodding into the net. It was the midfielder’s debut Serie A goal.
Cagliari fought back, Leonardo Pavoletti completing a give and go with Joao Pedro, the finish palmed out from under the bar by Marco Silvestri.
Samir stung Alessio Cragno’s gloves after a corner and Udinese doubled their lead with a marvellous Gerard Deulofeu right-foot free kick. He curled it up and over the wall into the near top corner, where Cragno was unsighted until it was too late.
Walter Mazzarri made a triple change at half-time, but Udinese added a third goal in style, the ball bouncing on the edge of the box after a clearance where Argentina international Nahuel Molina hit a ferocious right-foot strike so sweetly into the far bottom corner.
It went from bad to worse for Cagliari, as midfielder Razvan Marin received his second yellow card. Deuloeu added a fourth with another beautiful finish, this time a right-foot curler from a very tricky angle that bent over Cragno and right into the far top corner.
Cagliari suffered a second consecutive 4-0 defeat and will end 2021 away to Juventus.
Cagliari 0-4 Udinese
Makengo 4 (U), Deulofeu 45, 69 (U), Molina 50 (U)
Sent off: Marin 66 (C)