The triumphant debut of Conceição on the coaching bench of AC Milan brought the club its first title since winning the Scudetto in the 2021/22 season. At San Siro against Cagliari, the Rossoneri need to maintain their winning form to close the gap on their championship competitors.
The Super Cup match in Saudi Arabia showcased the strength of Milan's bench. Against Juventus (2:1) and Inter (3:2), the Italian vice-champions created 4.56 xG over 180 minutes, with a key goal action coming from the substitutes — Leão assisted Abraham in the final. Under Fonseca, the Rossoneri were in the top four of Serie A for expected goals (31.36), and Conceição’s triumph should energize the team's attack.
Milan will benefit from the somewhat unreliable defense of Cagliari, who have conceded 35.67 xGA over 19 rounds — the third-highest in the league. Their win against Monza (2:1) helped the Sardinians escape the relegation zone, even though the bottom team played well enough to earn a draw (0.69 against 1.58 in xG). Cagliari’s squad will be missing players like Jankto and Luvumbo, forcing them to rely on a solid low block for defense.
Cagliari have only managed to take eight points in their nine away games — outperformed by just five teams in Serie A. The support of San Siro will create the right atmosphere for Milan, who were on a five-match winning streak against Cagliari before their 3:3 draw in November.
