This Serie A fixture takes place at the Unipol Domus in Cagliari, Sardinia, kicking off the 2026 portion of the season. Cagliari, mid-table (around 14th place) and battling to stay clear of relegation, host AC Milan, who are in strong contention for the title (2nd place, just one point behind leaders Inter) and aiming to potentially take top spot with a win.

Cagliari ended 2025 positively with a 2-1 comeback win over Torino, showing resilience at home. They remain unbeaten in their last few home games but have struggled for consistency overall, sitting six points above the drop zone

AC Milan, under coach Massimiliano Allegri, bounced back from a Supercoppa semi-final exit with a convincing 3-0 victory over Hellas Verona. The Rossoneri are unbeaten away in the league this season and have been solid defensively

Milan dominate the fixture:
Unbeaten in their last 14 Serie A meetings with Cagliari (10 wins, 4 draws).

Cagliari’s last win over Milan was in May 2017; they’ve won only 5 of 46 historical home games against the Rossoneri.

Recent encounters have included draws (e.g., 1-1 and 3-3 in prior seasons), but Milan have generally controlled proceedings.

Cagliari (likely 3-5-2): Caprile; Zappa, Mina, Luperto; Palestra, Adopo, Deiola, Prati, Idrissi; Esposito, Kilicsoy.
Watch for young talents like Semih Kilicsoy, who can threaten on counters.

AC Milan (likely 3-4-1-2 or similar): Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek/Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Pulisic; Nkunku/Leao.
Stars like Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao (returning from injury), and veteran Luka Modric provide creativity and experience. Injuries/suspensions limit options (e.g., Nkunku doubtful, Gimenez out).

Most previews favor a Milan win, with common score predictions around 1-2 or 2-1 to the visitors. Milan are expected to control possession and exploit Cagliari’s defensive vulnerabilities, while Cagliari could nick a goal on the break. A victory would propel Milan to the league summit (at least temporarily), making this a key early-2026 test for their title ambitions.

This matchup highlights Milan’s superior quality against a gritty Cagliari side fighting for survival—classic Serie A contrast! If you’re looking for live updates or highlights post-match, check official sources like the Serie A app or club sites.