Serie A, Saturday, 11.01.2025 at 20:45
It’s amazing what a single change of manager can do. A talented team like that of the “Rossoneri”, which often got in its own way, has formed a unit within a few weeks that is now hungry again.
According to my AC Milan Cagliari tip, the Sardinians will not be able to withstand this new offensive pressure. Milan have returned from Saudi Arabia with plenty of self-confidence.
And it is precisely this strong belief in themselves that the “Rossoblù” will now feel on Saturday.
Fonseca-who? I assure you that Milan won’t be pining after the now unemployed Portuguese for long.
Instead, they have signed another Portuguese who has instilled a lot of lost confidence back into their team.
The Rossoneri have made an impressive start under their new coach Sérgio Conceição. The experienced manager took over the helm in December and has enjoyed great success in a very short space of time.
Not only has the team won both games so far under him, but they also secured the Supercoppa straight away. Particularly impressive was the 3:2 victory against arch-rivals Inter, in which Milan turned around a 0:2 deficit in the last minute.
What was clearly visible? This is what a team that believes in itself again looks like!
Such emotional moments can give teams a huge boost – and that’s exactly what Milan seem to be experiencing at the moment. The big challenge now is to transfer this positive momentum to Serie A.
With just two wins from their last seven matches and an eight-point gap to the Champions League places, Milan urgently need to bring consistency to their performances.
After all, Milan have played one game less than their rivals and can therefore hope to at least join the group of runaway leaders. However, the runaway leaders – Napoli, Atalanta, Inter – are unlikely to be caught up …
On the other hand, the men from the sunny Mediterranean island of Sardinia travel to the Italian fashion metropolis on Saturday and can at least stow a much-needed sense of achievement in their luggage compartment.
The recent 2:1 victory against Monza was not only an important morale booster, but also saved Davide Nicola’s team from falling into the relegation zone.
However, this success in the basement duel should not obscure their sobering form: Prior to this treble, Cagliari had conceded five defeats in a row and looked completely disoriented at times.
In the end, it is possible that what many experts secretly suspected at the start of the season will come true for the promoted team: A demotion to the hated Serie B.
The record against Milan also speaks volumes. In the last 39 meetings since 2000, the “Rossoblù” have only managed a single win, while they have drawn eight times and lost 30 times.
Nevertheless, in the first leg of the current season, the newly promoted side showed that they are capable of putting up resistance when they fought back from two goals down to draw spectacularly 3-3.
Winning a point at the San Siro would of course be a huge success for the Sardinians, especially as the situation in the relegation battle remains tense. However, Milan know exactly how important the upcoming games are if they are not to lose touch with the top places.
With Conceição’s breath of fresh air, a clear style of play and the Rossoneri’s strong home record, there is much to suggest that the home side will dominate the game.
At the same time, Milan must not underestimate the fighting mentality of the visitors. Cagliari have shown that they never give up despite difficult circumstances – a point that could create tension on Saturday.
But in the end, Milan’s quality and new momentum are likely to make the difference. At any rate, this insight was the guiding principle behind entering my favorite AC Milan Cagliari predictions into the handy Merkur Bet app.
Milan have shown this season how dangerous they are when they score the first goal. With seven wins and two draws following such an opening goal, AC have rarely conceded points after going 1-0 up themselves.
Another promising approach is a bet on Rafael Leão. The Portuguese attacker seems to love playing against Cagliari: He has scored a whopping six goals in nine matches.
Given this record and his current form, an AC Milan Cagliari bet on “Leão scores” at average odds of 2.30 with most German bookmakers could be a worthwhile option.
Another suggestion? You could combine the Portuguese goalscorer with a Milan win. That would also be a fine move!
Conclusion: My AC Milan Cagliari prediction is clearly in favour of the home side. There is a spirit of optimism in Milan – and Rafael Leão is literally blossoming under Sérgio Conceição.
Equipped with renewed vigor and self-confidence, Milan should easily continue their impressive home series against Cagliari.
My AC Milan Cagliari tip: Half-time/final score 1/1
