As Daniele De Rossi begins his first full season as Roma's coach, their Serie A opener will be against Cagliari in Sardinia.

Despite replacing Europa Conference League-winning manager José Mourinho with a returning hero midway through the season, Roma finished sixth in Serie A for the third consecutive year, ending up with 63 points—matching their totals from the previous two seasons. Recognizing the need for change, the club brought in Daniele De Rossi on a three-year contract and added several new players to the squad.

Notably, Artem Dovbyk, last season’s La Liga top scorer, joined from Girona, while Matias Soule and Enzo Le Fee are expected to invigorate the midfield. With these additions, expectations are high for Roma to compete for a Champions League spot, though there are concerns about the future of star forward Paulo Dybala, who has attracted significant interest from Saudi Arabia.

Cagliari, led by ex-Roma coach Claudio Ranieri, managed to stay in Serie A by the skin of their teeth last season. Ranieri’s retirement was met with significant emotion in Sardinia, and top-flight survival specialist Davide Nicola has since taken over. Nicola, known for his successful rescue missions with Crotone, Salernitana, and Empoli, now faces the task of keeping Cagliari afloat for the upcoming season.

Cagliari's pre-season results were mixed, but they secured their place in the next round of the Coppa Italia with a 3-1 victory over Carrarese, thanks to a brace from new loan signing Roberto Piccoli. They now prepare to host Roma for the season opener, aiming to make a strong start against one of Serie A's heavyweights.

Prediction:  Cagliari 1-2 Roma

Cagliari vs Roma stream and TV listing

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