Conceicao could match Sacchi: All the key stats ahead of Milan-Cagliari | OneFootball

AC Milan will take on Cagliari this evening and it should be a special one, given that it’s Sergio Conceicao’s first league game in charge. Despite the draw last time out, the Rossoneri have been dominant in this fixture.

The manager is expected to make a couple of changes to the starting XI, replacing the suspended Emerson Royal with Davide Calabria and bringing Rafael Leao back from start. In short, he will be able to rely on a strong team for what historically has been an ‘easy’ fixture for Milan.

Indeed, the Rossoneri have played against Cagliari 92 times in their 125-year history, with 54 of the games being wins and only nine defeats, meaning 29 draws. Below, we have collected some of the best facts and stats for tonight’s encounter.

Key stats and facts

➤ Milan are unbeaten in their last 13 games against Cagliari in Serie A (W10 D3); following a 3-3 draw in the reverse fixture however, the Rossoneri could fail to beat the Rossoblù home and away in a single Serie A season for the first time since 1999/2000 (two draws in that case).

➤ In the 2000s, Milan faced Cagliari at home 18 times in Serie A (46 goals scored, 11 conceded), winning on 17 occasions; against no other team have the Rossoneri achieved more successes at the San Siro in this period of the competition (17 also against Lazio).

➤ Cagliari, who beat Monza in their last league match, have not won two games in a row in Serie A since March 2024; furthermore, on the last two occasions they’ve won a game in the competition, they’ve followed it up with a defeat in the next match.

➤ Milan have drawn three of their last four home league games, including the last two: the Rossoneri have not collected three consecutive home draws in Serie A since January 2020.

➤ Sergio Conceição won his first two matches as Milan coach (both in the Supercoppa Italiana): the last manager to win his first three games in charge of the club was Arrigo Sacchi in August 1987.

➤ Sérgio Conceição will be the second Portuguese coach in history to lead Milan in Serie A, after Paulo Fonseca; none of the last two managers have won their first Serie A game in charge of Milan, the last to do so was Cristian Brocchi in April 2016 (1-0 vs Sampdoria).

Credit: AC Milan

➤ In the last two matches played in the Super Cup, Milan came from behind to win: in the entire first part of the season, considering all competitions, the Rossoneri had obtained three draws and never a victory from this situation.

➤ Cagliari continue to concede goals from set piece situations: 14 of the 32 goals they have conceded in Serie A this season have come from set pieces, 44%; both negative records in the competition this term.

➤ Cagliari are one of Rafael Leão’s two favourite opponents in Serie A (5 goals, also against Lecce): the Portuguese forward has scored in both of his last two home league games against the Rossoblü.

➤ Roberto Piccoli has scored 18 goals in Serie A with those coming against 18 different teams: he has however never scored against Milan in the competition (7 apps – 387 minutes) – only against Lazio (418) has he played more minutes in Serie A without finding the back of the net.