Juventus – Cagliari: Dominant Juve Come Out On Top In The Mirror Matchup (4-0)

Juventus won the mirror contest against Cagliari in a dominant performance that brought Rolando Maran’s side to the third dead end in the last three games. Thanks to efficient pressing and counterpressing, Juve were able to push Cagliari back into their half completely, while the host’s midfielders and attackers combined past their lines.

Tactical analysis and match report by Kareem Bianchi.

The curtains finally closed on Serie A’s Christmas break, as Juventus and Cagliari stepped on the field for a match that had not been so anticipated in a long time. 

Given Juve’s recent loss in the Supercoppa final to Lazio and Cagliari’s latest slip up after an unexpected and for the most part, unexplainable run, both sides were seeking  redemption. Before the break, Maurizio Sarri specifically underlined the importance of some quality training time to work on the issues that had been holding his side back from the maximum expression of “Sarriball”. These problems afflicting Juve could be summarized in the pressing phase, the first and foremost playmaker in Sarri’s 4-3-1-2 shape, the necessary engine to give continuity and substance to the possession.

Cagliari, on the other hand, has been faced with a reality check as of late, when their overperformance met a dead-end against the likes of Lazio and Udinese, in two significant losses that might signal the start of a long-awaited regression.

Sarri was unable to field both Rodrigo Bentancur, due to a three-match ban and Matthijs de Ligt, who is still struggling through injury. Despite obligatory lineup changes, Sarri started Juve in their usual diamond formation . . .