AS Roma vs Cagliari Prediction & Betting Tips (9 February)

AS Roma enter this clash with a renewed sense of direction after a turbulent start to the year that included the dismissal of José Mourinho in mid‑January and the immediate appointment of Daniele De Rossi as head coach. The change has brought a noticeable shift in tempo and attitude, with Roma showing more vertical play and quicker transitions. Their recent league matches have included a convincing win over Verona, a gritty draw against Lazio in the Coppa Italia semifinal first leg, and a strong performance against Salernitana. The squad has also welcomed back key figures such as Chris Smalling, who returned to training after months out, while Paulo Dybala has continued to manage recurring muscle issues but remains influential whenever fit. These developments have shaped a team that is still stabilizing but clearly trending upward.

Cagliari, meanwhile, continue to fight for survival under Claudio Ranieri, whose experience has kept them competitive despite a difficult run of fixtures. Over the past two months, they have battled through narrow defeats to Milan and Atalanta, earned a crucial win over Bologna, and secured a valuable draw against Empoli. Their January transfer activity included the arrival of Gianluca Gaetano from Napoli, who has already added creativity in midfield, and the return of Eldor Shomurodov from injury has provided another attacking option. Even with these improvements, Cagliari remain inconsistent, often struggling to maintain defensive concentration in the final stages of matches, which has cost them points in several recent outings.

The tactical contrast between the two sides adds intrigue. Roma have leaned heavily on their wing‑backs and midfield runners under De Rossi, often relying on Dybala’s link‑up play and Romelu Lukaku’s hold‑up ability to create space for late-arriving midfielders. Their defensive structure has tightened, with Evan Ndicka and Gianluca Mancini forming a more stable partnership. Cagliari, on the other hand, typically sit deeper and look to counter through Zito Luvumbo’s pace or Leonardo Pavoletti’s aerial presence. Their challenge will be resisting Roma’s pressure while finding moments to break forward, something they have managed only sporadically in recent matches. Both teams arrive with clear identities but very different levels of confidence.

Given Roma’s recent improvement, home advantage, and Cagliari’s ongoing difficulty in creating sustained attacking pressure, this matchup shapes up as one where the hosts are likely to control long stretches of play. Cagliari’s defensive resilience can keep the scoreline tight, but Roma’s ability to generate chances through structured buildup and individual quality should eventually tilt the balance. With all factors considered, the most realistic outcome appears to be a narrow Roma victory, and the correct score prediction for this fixture is 1:0.