AS Roma vs Cagliari Predicted Lineups: Serie A Team News

AS Roma welcome Cagliari to Stadio Olimpico in Rome in Serie A Regular Season - 9, with the hosts looking to consolidate a strong start to the 2026 campaign. Roma sit 3rd in the table with 18 points from 8 matches, unbeaten so far with 5 wins and 3 draws, and an impressive goal difference of +13 (19 scored, 6 conceded). This clash is important for their push to stay in the Champions League spots and keep pressure on the top two.

Cagliari arrive in Rome in a solid 8th place on 13 points from 8 games. Their record of 4 wins, 1 draw and 3 defeats, with 6 goals scored and 9 conceded, underlines a team that is competitive but still searching for attacking consistency. With only 0.9 goals scored per game on average, they will need efficiency in front of goal to take anything away from the Olimpico.

With Roma’s strong home record (3 wins and 1 draw, 10 goals scored and 3 conceded) and Cagliari’s impressive away points return (3 wins and 1 loss on the road), this is a key fixture for both sides. Predicted lineups and the expected starting lineup choices will be decisive, especially given notable absences on both sides and the recent form lines: Roma’s league form string “DWDDW” and Cagliari’s “LLDWW” show a home side that rarely loses and an away side just emerging from an early-season wobble.

AS Roma Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Roma’s squad is stretched by several important injuries ahead of this Serie A meeting. M. Bah (knee injury), P. Dybala (calf injury), M. Koné (muscle injury), L. Pellegrini (thigh injury) and first-choice goalkeeper M. Svilar (toe injury) are all listed as missing this fixture. That removes a major creative hub in Dybala, a key midfield leader in Pellegrini, and a regular starter in goal, forcing the coach to adjust the expected structure and personnel.

Despite these setbacks, Roma’s overall form and depth should allow them to maintain an attacking-minded shape with a solid defensive platform. Their recent record shows strong defensive metrics (only 6 goals conceded in 8 league games) combined with a potent attack led by in-form forwards. The expected game plan will likely be to control territory, use width from wing-backs or advanced midfielders, and rely on their top scorers to break down Cagliari’s block.

AS Roma Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: P. Gollini
DF: Hermoso, G. Mancini, E. Ndicka, L. Balerdi
MF: B. Cristante, M. de Roon, N. Molina, N. Pisilli
FW: D. Malen, M. Soulé

This predicted lineup leans heavily on Roma’s key performers in Serie A so far. In attack, D. Malen is the standout: 6 goals and 1 assist in 7 league appearances underline his status as Roma’s primary goal threat. He combines volume shooting (21 shots, 11 on target) with strong dribbling output, making him the focal point of the expected starting lineup. Alongside him, M. Soulé adds creativity and end product from a wide or second-striker role, with 3 goals and 1 assist in 8 appearances and excellent involvement in build-up play.

Without P. Dybala, who leads the assist charts for Roma with 4 assists, the creative burden in the final third shifts more onto Soulé and the advanced midfielders. B. Cristante and M. de Roon provide control and defensive balance in midfield, while N. Molina and N. Pisilli are expected to offer running power and link-up options between the lines. At the back, Hermoso, G. Mancini and E. Ndicka give Roma a strong defensive core, with Hermoso in particular contributing high passing volume and defensive interventions. P. Gollini is the logical choice in goal with Svilar unavailable.

Cagliari Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Cagliari also have a significant injury list to manage before naming their lineups today. M. Felici (knee injury), R. Idrissi (knee injury), Y. Trepy (injury) and H. Winks (back injury) are all ruled out of this fixture. The absence of Winks in particular removes an experienced midfield presence who can help Cagliari build from deep and manage pressure in tough away games.

Even so, Cagliari’s recent form line “LLDWW” in the league standings suggests a side that has found a way to grind out results after a difficult spell. Their away record this season is strong, and the expected approach will likely be compact and disciplined without the ball, with quick transitions aimed at exploiting Roma’s advanced full-backs or wing-backs. The predicted lineups today will revolve around their standout attacking midfielder and top scorer D. Maldini, as well as their most reliable creator M. Adopo.

Cagliari Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: E. Caprile
DF: Zé Pedro, Y. Mina, A. Obert, Y. Sugawara
MF: M. Adopo, R. Gagliardini, A. Deiola, J. Fazzini
FW: D. Maldini, M'Bala Nzola

In this predicted starting lineup, Cagliari’s structure is built around D. Maldini, who has 4 goals in 8 league appearances and is their leading scorer. Operating from an advanced midfield or second-striker role, Maldini’s ability to arrive late in the box and shoot from the edge of the area will be crucial against Roma’s compact central block. Behind him, M. Adopo is the team’s top assist provider with 2 assists, combining work rate, ball progression and set-piece quality from midfield.

The double presence of A. Deiola and R. Gagliardini offers physicality and defensive coverage in the middle, while J. Fazzini can link midfield to attack. At the back, Zé Pedro and A. Obert, supported by Y. Sugawara’s energy on the flank, will be tasked with containing Roma’s wide threats and tracking the runs of Malen and Soulé. E. Caprile is expected to start in goal, with his shot-stopping likely to be heavily tested given Roma’s attacking numbers.

Injuries and Suspended Players Impact

The absences on both sides have a clear tactical and personnel impact on this match. Roma are without several key creative and midfield figures, which could reduce their variety in the final third but also concentrate responsibility on their in-form attackers. Cagliari lose depth and experience in midfield and in the attacking rotation, which may limit their ability to change the game from the bench.

AS Roma Absences:

• M. Bah — Knee Injury (Missing Fixture)
• P. Dybala — Calf Injury (Missing Fixture)
• M. Koné — Muscle Injury (Missing Fixture)
• L. Pellegrini — Thigh Injury (Missing Fixture)
• M. Svilar — Toe Injury (Missing Fixture)

Cagliari Absences:

• M. Felici — Knee Injury (Missing Fixture)
• R. Idrissi — Knee Injury (Missing Fixture)
• Y. Trepy — Injury (Missing Fixture)
• H. Winks — Back Injury (Missing Fixture)

Tactical Analysis: How the Lineups Match Up

This contest sets up as Roma’s high-powered, in-form attack against Cagliari’s disciplined, opportunistic approach. Roma’s comparison indices underline their edge: the overall comparison index sits at 69.8 vs 30.3 in Roma’s favour, with notable advantages in attack and defense indices. Their recent league record shows strong attacking numbers, with 19 goals in 8 matches and a tendency to score across all phases of the game, particularly late on. With Malen and Soulé both ranking highly in goals and creative metrics, Roma should be able to generate sustained pressure in the final third.

Cagliari, by contrast, have scored only 6 goals in 8 league games but are efficient in certain time windows, especially between minutes 16–30. Their form index is competitive, and the Poisson index of 79 vs 21 still leans heavily Roma’s way but confirms that Cagliari can pose a threat if they manage to keep the game tight. Key matchups will include Malen and Soulé against the central pairing of Y. Mina and Zé Pedro, as well as D. Maldini’s movements between the lines against Roma’s midfield screen of Cristante and de Roon. If Cagliari can use Adopo’s passing and Maldini’s finishing to exploit any lapses in Roma’s defensive concentration, they have a chance to counterpunch, but over 90 minutes Roma’s depth and attacking quality give them the upper hand.

Match Prediction and Verdict

Stats suggest Roma are clear favourites, but with some caveats. The prediction model gives Roma a 45% chance to win, the draw also at 45%, and Cagliari at just 10%. That aligns with Roma’s superior league position, unbeaten record, and stronger attacking output. The comparison indices and head-to-head record also favour the hosts, with Roma dominant at the Olimpico in recent meetings.

The pre-match odds from major bookmakers further reinforce Roma’s status: home win prices between 1.33 and 1.40 imply an approximate winning probability in the 71–75% range, draws around 4.60–5.20 (about 19–22%), and away wins at 8.00–9.84 (roughly 10–12%). Taking into account Roma’s injuries but also their depth and home form, alongside Cagliari’s limited goal output, a home win in a controlled, relatively low-scoring game looks the most plausible outcome.

Predicted Outcome: AS Roma 2–0 Cagliari

How to Watch AS Roma vs Cagliari Worldwide

Here is how you can watch the match and see the official lineups today live:

• Spain: Local pay-TV sports channel / major streaming platform
• UK: Premium sports broadcaster or official Serie A streaming partner
• USA / North America: Subscription sports network carrying Serie A rights
• South America: Regional sports channel with Serie A coverage
• MENA: Satellite sports network or digital streaming service with Serie A rights