Inter close in on the Scudetto against a Cagliari side fighting for survival, a mismatch in league position but not necessarily in drama.
Serie A Matchday 33 | Friday, April 17, 2026 | Kick-off: 7:45 pm BST | San Siro, Milan
What Is at Stake: Scudetto vs Relegation
Inter Milan has scored 75 Serie A goals this season. At least 19 more than any other club in Italy. They have won four of their last five league games, beaten Roma 5-2 and Como 4-3, and sit nine points clear at the top of the table with just six games remaining.
Cagliari come to San Siro on Friday night as 16th-placed survivors clinging to safety by six points. On paper, this could not be more one-sided. But football rarely sticks to the script. Inter Milan, managed by Cristian Chivu, is closing in on the Scudetto, which is the Italian league title. A win on Friday would extend their lead to 12 points before their closest challengers, Napoli and AC Milan, play this weekend.
Cagliari, managed by Fabio Pisacane, is fighting to remain in Serie A. Their crucial 1-0 win over Cremonese last weekend gave them breathing space, pulling six points clear of the relegation zone. Every point matters for the Sardinians.
Inter Milan’s Attacking Numbers in 2025–26
Inter Milan Team News and Injury Update
Inter come into this match in impressive attacking form, having recently pulled off a dramatic 4-3 comeback win at Como after being two goals down, and before that, a convincing 5-2 victory over Roma. However, Chivu faces selection headaches. Captain Lautaro Martínez is sidelined with a thigh strain, Yann Bisseck is out with a muscle injury, Alessandro Bastoni has been rested, and midfielder Petar Sučić is suspended due to yellow card accumulation.
Confirmed absentees:
Martínez (thigh), Bisseck (muscle), Bastoni (rested), and Sučić (suspended)
In their absence, Marcus Thuram leads the attack. The Frenchman scored twice against both Roma and Como and is in the form of his life. Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu provide the creative engine from midfield, while Federico Dimarco offers width and delivery from the left.
Inter are unbeaten in nine consecutive league games at San Siro and have scored an average of 2.75 goals per home game this season.
Cagliari Team News: Esposito Faces Parent Club
Cagliari will be without long-term absentees Mattia Felici and Riyad Idrissi. Their most intriguing selection is Sebastiano Esposito, the 22-year-old Inter loanee, who leads the Cagliari line with six Serie A goals this season and faces an emotionally charged return to San Siro against his parent club. His brother, Pio Esposito, scored against Cagliari in the reverse fixture in September.
Cagliari’s Survival Chances: Key Numbers
Cagliari’s away form remains a major concern, with three losses in their last four road trips, and they have lost all four league meetings against the current top three without scoring a single goal.
Their best hope lies in sitting deep, frustrating Inter, and catching them on the counter is a familiar tactic for sides visiting San Siro this season.
Predicted Lineups — Matchday 33
Inter Milan: Sommer; Akanji, Acerbi, De Vrij; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Bonny
Cagliari: Caprile; Ze Pedro, Mina, Rodríguez; Palestra, Folorunsho, Gaetano, Deiola, Obert; S. Esposito, Borrelli
