Each line is generated from a finding that cleared its evidence bar; nothing here is a generic coaching point. The grey line says what it rests on; the button opens the sequences.
In your own build-up area, play on one or two touches: don't try to dribble past their press, and keep first touches clean.
32% of their high regains come straight after the opponent tries to dribble past someone or takes a bad touch (league median 29%); only 24% come from forward passes.
Copy the sides that escaped it: Juventus got out 84% (long on 5%).
Average escape rate against them is 69%.
When you win it, go down their left side immediately.
55% of the xG they concede after losing the ball comes down their left side (86 attacks, 20 shots), against 32% of their own attacking xG through that channel.
Avoid conceding corners; mark Zé Pedro first.
35% of their corners end in a shot; first contacts: Zé Pedro (3), Juan Rodríguez (2), Yerry Mina (2).
Where each player takes the ball in each phase of their possession, and who passes to whom. Event data has no off-ball positions, so this is the shape of their touches — the standard event-data proxy. A phase is defined by where the ball is, so the dots sit inside that phase's third (shaded): read the order and the width, not the depth of each line. Cagliari attack left to right.
attacking → · shaded = the build-up zone
565 build-up phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
attacking → · shaded = the progression zone
677 progression phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
attacking → · shaded = the final third zone
308 final third phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
Tackles, interceptions, recoveries, blocks, challenges and fouls in the opponent's final 40%.
111 in the window. The press on a build-up = the first two rows: 15 (1.7 a match).
| source | times | share | per match | shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| press: settled build-up taken off them | 15 | 14% | 1.7 | 20% | |
| press: their restart forced into an error before they settled | 0 | 0% | 0.0 | – | |
| counter-press: won straight back after losing it | 9 | 8% | 1.0 | 11% | |
| second ball: the opponent touched it but never controlled it | 87 | 78% | 9.7 | 29% | |
| ↳ rebound after their own shot (saved or blocked) | 8 | 7% | 0.9 | 25% | |
| ↳ their cross / ball into the box, cleared | 35 | 32% | 3.9 | 34% | |
| ↳ their long ball, only headed or touched away | 7 | 6% | 0.8 | 29% | |
| ↳ after their own throw-in / set piece | 7 | 6% | 0.8 | 0% | |
| ↳ loose ball in their combination play (pass blocked or tackled) | 30 | 27% | 3.3 | 30% |
| opponent was | share | league | rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dribbling or a loose touch | 32% | 29% | 6 / 20 | |
| passing forward | 24% | 30% | 14 / 20 | |
| passing to a full-back | 16% | 12% | 6 / 20 | |
| passing back | 8% | 3% | 2 / 20 | |
| going long | 8% | 8% | 10 / 20 | |
| taking a throw-in | 4% | 4% | 11 / 20 | |
| passing sideways | 0% | 8% | 16 / 20 | |
| passing to the keeper | 0% | 0% | 9 / 20 | |
| a loose ball | 0% | 0% | 1 / 20 |
The opponents who went long most (21% of build-ups) got out 59% of the time; those who mostly played short (7% long) got out 75%. That is a lean, not proven at 20 matches (p=0.1223).
Best escapes: Juventus 84%; Atalanta 83%; Roma 77%. One dot per match; hover for the opponent.
Most often started by Alessandro Romano (10), Daniel Maldini (9), Alieu Fadera (8), Paul Mendy (6).
| lost in | losses | won back within 5s | led to a shot |
|---|---|---|---|
| own third | 43 | 33% | 12% |
| midfield | 262 | 32% | 5% |
| final third | 231 | 22% | 1% |
19.8 opponent attacks per match after winning the ball in open play that broke forward fast or reached the final third. Shading and % = share of the xG they produced, by the channel they used. Cagliari's goal is on the left. Central attacks carry more xG for every team, so compare with Cagliari's own attacking xG in the same kind of channel (centre, or the average flank): left 55% conceded vs 32% own, right 26% conceded vs 32% own, centre 19% conceded vs 36% own.
Every real turnover, named by the situation it came from. "Fast" = the side with the ball reached the final third within 10 seconds. Only real turnovers appear here: for everything the press wins high, including restarts it forced into an error, see "Every ball won in the opponent’s third" in the press section.
| type | times | share | fast | shot | xG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won high from a settled build-up (press) | 14 | 2%lg 4% | 43% | 14%lg 12% | 0.1 | |
| Won after their long possession (10+ passes) | 108 | 16%lg 11% | 11% | 2%lg 4% | 0.1 | |
| Won straight back after losing it (counter-press) | 72 | 11%lg 11% | 19% | 4%lg 7% | 0.1 | |
| Won by stopping their counter | 28 | 4%lg 4% | 7% | 0%lg 4% | 0.0 | |
| Won in midfield | 124 | 19%lg 27% | 30% | 8%lg 6% | 1.2 | |
| Won deep in own third | 269 | 40%lg 37% | 10% | 2%lg 4% | 0.5 | |
| Won from their set piece | 50 | 8%lg 5% | 14% | 6%lg 5% | 0.2 |
| type | times | share | opponent fast | shot against | xG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost in own build-up under pressure | 32 | 5%lg 4% | 34% | 6%lg 11% | 0.1 | |
| Lost after own long possession (10+ passes) | 59 | 10%lg 12% | 25% | 15%lg 2% | 0.5 | |
| Lost straight after winning it | 61 | 10%lg 11% | 34% | 8%lg 7% | 0.5 | |
| Lost during own counter | 15 | 3%lg 4% | 20% | 13%lg 6% | 0.1 | |
| Lost in midfield | 225 | 38%lg 27% | 38% | 11%lg 6% | 2.1 | |
| Lost in the final third (attack broke down) | 185 | 31%lg 36% | 24% | 6%lg 4% | 1.1 | |
| Lost from own set piece | 19 | 3%lg 5% | 5% | 0%lg 5% | 0.0 |
Every controlled possession is typed by how it was played, and every real turnover (a possession that was established and then lost) by what the losing side was doing, how it lost the ball and what the winner did next. "Settled" = sustained or worked possessions; "unsettled" = short, second-ball, counter and direct possessions.
| type | times | share | ended in a shot | avg passes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 85 | 11%lg 13% | 12%lg 14% | 14.4 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 210 | 28%lg 28% | 11%lg 11% | 5.8 | |
| direct attack | 115 | 15%lg 13% | 0%lg 3% | 1.7 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 194 | 25%lg 21% | 3% | 1.5 |
| the side losing it was in… | times | fast attack | secured | lost straight back | can’t keep it | shot | xG | how it was lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 62 | 24% | 8% | 10% | 52% | 15% | 0.5 | pass cut out 37, bad touch 11 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 155 | 28% | 15% | 12% | 37% | 8% | 0.9 | pass cut out 88, bad touch 27 | |
| direct attack | 95 | 44% | 12% | 7% | 33% | 13% | 1.1 | pass cut out 42, long ball lost 37 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 154 | 32% | 9% | 6% | 45% | 7% | 1.1 | pass cut out 68, bad touch 31 | |
| second-ball possession | 93 | 26% | 10% | 9% | 53% | 8% | 0.8 | pass cut out 51, long ball lost 17 | |
| counter / fast transition | 18 | 22% | 11% | 6% | 56% | 11% | 0.1 | pass cut out 9, bad touch 5 | |
| set piece | 19 | 5% | 26% | 11% | 58% | 0% | 0.0 | pass cut out 13, long ball lost 4 |
| mechanism | times | share | led to a shot against | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pass cut out | 308 | 52%lg 50% | 6% | |
| long ball lost | 110 | 18%lg 21% | 14% | |
| bad touch | 95 | 16%lg 15% | 4% | |
| tackled / dispossessed | 43 | 7%lg 6% | 14% | |
| failed dribble | 36 | 6%lg 6% | 25% |
| the opponent was in… | times | fast attack | secured | lost straight back | can’t keep it | shot | xG | how it was lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 109 | 11% | 15% | 6% | 55% | 2% | 0.1 | pass cut out 66, bad touch 17 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 178 | 13% | 18% | 10% | 49% | 6% | 1.0 | pass cut out 114, bad touch 29 | |
| direct attack | 52 | 29% | 33% | 6% | 25% | 0% | 0.0 | long ball lost 26, pass cut out 19 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 126 | 24% | 16% | 6% | 47% | 5% | 0.7 | pass cut out 71, bad touch 18 | |
| second-ball possession | 114 | 12% | 12% | 6% | 61% | 3% | 0.2 | pass cut out 64, bad touch 21 | |
| counter / fast transition | 36 | 11% | 14% | 6% | 50% | 3% | 0.0 | pass cut out 23, bad touch 5 | |
| set piece | 50 | 14% | 6% | 2% | 64% | 6% | 0.2 | pass cut out 34, long ball lost 7 |
Fast attack = their final third or box reached within 10s. Secured = kept 10s+ or 4+ passes. Lost straight back = controlled, then lost within 5s. Can’t keep it = won the ball but never got it under control (cleared it, headed it away, blocked it or lost it at once).
Each phase split into the situations it is made of, every row with its league median and clips. Shots are their own category: a possession that ends in a shot has finished, it has not lost the ball.
| type | times | share | got out | reached the box | lost in build-up | shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| from the keeper / goal kick, played out short | 47 | 19%lg 18% | 72% | 23% | 26% | 6% | |
| from the keeper / goal kick, went long (bypass) | 43 | 17%lg 11% | 47% | 5% | 51% | 0% | |
| from the keeper / goal kick, stuck / recycled | 13 | 5% | 0% | 8% | 62% | 0% | |
| from the back line, played out short | 20 | 8%lg 10% | 45% | 15% | 50% | 15% | |
| from the back line, went long (bypass) | 15 | 6%lg 5% | 47% | 27% | 47% | 7% | |
| from a throw-in, played out short | 9 | 4%lg 5% | 33% | 0% | 56% | 0% | |
| from a throw-in, went long (bypass) | 6 | 2%lg 3% | 50% | 0% | 50% | 0% | |
| straight after winning it, played out short | 49 | 19%lg 20% | 61% | 14% | 35% | 4% | |
| straight after winning it, went long (bypass) | 19 | 8%lg 9% | 42% | 21% | 42% | 11% | |
| straight after winning it, stuck / recycled | 28 | 11% | 0% | 0% | 39% | 0% |
| outcome | times | share | opponent shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| won it high | 10 | 5%lg 9% | 0% | |
| forced long, then won it back | 26 | 12%lg 24% | 4% | |
| forced long, they kept it | 8 | 4%lg 5% | 50% | |
| they played through short | 122 | 58%lg 35% | 15% | |
| kept them stuck (recycled back) | 43 | 21%lg 27% | 0% |
Won high = the ball won in the opponent's own third. Forced long = the opponent left its third with a long ball (then either lost it in that possession, or kept it).
| created by | shots | share of open play | xG | xG per shot | goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cross | 8 | 12%lg 11% | 1.1 | 0.13lg 0.11 | 0 | |
| cutback | 4 | 6%lg 6% | 0.5 | 0.12lg 0.10 | 0 | |
| through ball | 2 | 3%lg 2% | 0.6 | 0.32lg 0.22 | 1 | |
| short pass / combination | 34 | 53%lg 53% | 3.3 | 0.10lg 0.08 | 3 | |
| long ball | 5 | 8%lg 5% | 0.4 | 0.08lg 0.07 | 0 | |
| individual (dribble / self-made) | 7 | 11%lg 10% | 0.5 | 0.07lg 0.08 | 1 | |
| rebound / second ball | 4 | 6%lg 10% | 0.3 | 0.06lg 0.10 | 0 | |
| corner (set piece) | 20 | – | 1.0 | 0.05 | 1 | |
| free kick (indirect) (set piece) | 7 | – | 0.4 | 0.06 | 0 | |
| direct free kick (set piece) | 2 | – | 0.1 | 0.03 | 0 | |
| throw-in (set piece) | 2 | – | 0.1 | 0.04 | 0 | |
| penalty (set piece) | 2 | – | 1.6 | 0.79 | 2 |
| created by | shots | share | xG | xG per shot | goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cross | 15 | 13%lg 11% | 2.5 | 0.16 | 4 | |
| cutback | 5 | 4%lg 7% | 0.8 | 0.16 | 0 | |
| through ball | 3 | 3%lg 3% | 0.4 | 0.15 | 1 | |
| short pass / combination | 67 | 59%lg 53% | 4.1 | 0.06 | 3 | |
| long ball | 6 | 5%lg 4% | 0.4 | 0.06 | 0 | |
| individual (dribble / self-made) | 8 | 7%lg 9% | 0.5 | 0.06 | 0 | |
| rebound / second ball | 9 | 8%lg 10% | 1.2 | 0.14 | 2 | |
| corner (set piece) | 28 | – | 2.1 | 0.07 | 1 | |
| free kick (indirect) (set piece) | 14 | – | 1.6 | 0.11 | 1 | |
| direct free kick (set piece) | 9 | – | 0.2 | 0.03 | 0 | |
| throw-in (set piece) | 3 | – | 0.2 | 0.05 | 0 | |
| penalty (set piece) | 1 | – | 0.8 | 0.79 | 1 |
| ending | shots | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| goal | 6 | 6%lg 10% | |
| keeper held it | 13 | 14%lg 10% | |
| keeper parried it | 16 | 17%lg 13% | |
| blocked | 17 | 18%lg 26% | |
| off target | 41 | 43%lg 39% | |
| hit the woodwork | 2 | 2% |
Penalties excluded. A "save" by an outfield player is a block.
After their keeper held a shot (12), median release 12s; league share turned into a fast attack 13%:
| their keeper held it, then… | times | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| keeper released fast -> fast attack | 0 | 0% | |
| keeper released quickly, no fast attack | 1 | 8% | |
| keeper slowed the game | 11 | 92% |
After their own shot was held by the opponent keeper (13); league share broken against fast 12%:
| the opponent keeper held it, then… | times | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| keeper released fast -> fast attack | 1 | 8% | |
| keeper released quickly, no fast attack | 1 | 8% | |
| keeper slowed the game | 11 | 85% |
Fast = the keeper's side reached its final third within 15s of the save. Quick = first pass within 6s.
The other half of each phase above. Their own phases break down when they lose the ball (real turnovers only); their press and block break down when the opponent gets through. Each card: how often, how, where, who is involved, and what it costs them.
164 balls lost in 565 build-up phases (29%)
giveaways per 10 build-up phases: 2.6/10 · league 2.6/10
What it costs: 35% turned into a fast attack · 46% the opponent can’t keep · 10% led to a shot · 1.2 xG
255 balls lost in 677 middle-third phases (38%)
giveaways per 10 middle-third phases: 3.3/10 · league 2.8/10
What it costs: 36% turned into a fast attack · 31% the opponent can’t keep · 11% led to a shot · 2.6 xG
139 balls lost in 308 final-third phases (45%)
deliveries into the box that fail to arrive: 49% · league 51%
What it costs: 9% turned into a fast attack · 64% the opponent can’t keep · 2% led to a shot · 0.3 xG
31 deliveries into the box did not arrive
18 of 33 counter-attacks lost (55%)
attacking transitions that produce a shot: 20% · league 20%
What it costs: 22% turned into a fast attack · 56% the opponent can’t keep · 11% led to a shot · 0.1 xG
33 counters: 10 ended in a shot, 18 were lost, 5 slowed down or went out
125 of 182 opponent build-ups got out (69%)
opponent build-ups that get out cleanly: 69% · league 48%
What it costs: 34% reached the final third · 14% led to a shot · 1.2 xG
Sides are their own: "down the left" = down their left.
167 box entries in 636 opponent final-third phases (26%)
opponent final-third phases that create: 47% · league 49%
What it costs: 44% led to a shot · 10.0 xG
Sides are their own.
19 set pieces lost in open play
What it costs: 5% turned into a fast attack · 58% the opponent can’t keep · 0% led to a shot · 0.0 xG
Their corners and free kicks that were lost in open play, and what the opponent did next.
Takers: Alessandro Romano (12), Daniel Maldini (9), Jacopo Fazzini (7)
First contact in the box: Zé Pedro (3), Juan Rodríguez (2), Yerry Mina (2), Michel Adopo (2), Gennaro Borrelli (1)
What each player does in the phases, counted over the window. Only lines that clear a minimum count are shown.
The comparison behind the report: each behaviour as a rate per opportunity, ranked among the 20 Serie A clubs' full seasons, with how many of the 9 matches sat on the same side of the league median. "Style" is never a verdict.
| behaviour | Cagliari | league median | rank | matches | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style | turnovers lost in midfield | 38% | 27% | 1 / 20 | 8/9 | |
| weakness | opponent build-ups played through short by the opponent | 58% | 35% | 1 / 20 | 7/9 | |
| weakness | balls lost from a settled possession that led to an opponent shot | 10% | 5% | 1 / 20 | 9/9 | |
| style | final-third entries through the centre | 28% | 13% | 1 / 20 | 9/9 | |
| weakness | opponent build-ups that got out cleanly | 69% | 48% | 1 / 20 | 7/9 | |
| style | turnovers won high while pressing the build-up | 2% | 4% | 20 / 20 | 8/9 | |
| style | turnovers won in midfield | 19% | 27% | 20 / 20 | 7/9 | |
| weakness | middle-third giveaways per 10 middle-third phases | 3.3/10 | 2.8/10 | 1 / 20 | 7/9 | |
| style | build-up exits by carrying it out | 4% | 11% | 20 / 20 | 9/9 | |
| weakness | high transitions per 10 turnovers won | 0.6/10 | 0.9/10 | 20 / 20 | 6/9 | |
| style | turnovers won from an opponent set piece | 8% | 5% | 2 / 20 | 6/9 | |
| weakness | opponent build-ups won high | 5% | 9% | 20 / 20 | 7/9 | |
| style | switch of play per 100 progression phases | 1.6/100 | 3.0/100 | 19 / 20 | 7/9 | |
| weakness | balls lost in midfield that led to an opponent shot | 11% | 6% | 1 / 20 | 6/9 | |
| weakness | middle-third phases that progressed into the final third | 58% | 68% | 19 / 20 | 7/9 | |
| weakness | balls won from a settled opponent possession turned into a fast attack | 13% | 19% | 20 / 20 | 7/9 | |
| weakness | turnovers won that were turned into a fast attack (final third within 10s) | 16% | 23% | 20 / 20 | 8/9 | |
| weakness | opponent middle-third phases that progressed | 77% | 67% | 2 / 20 | 7/9 |
| phase | route | times | shot | their average |
|---|
| split | behaviour | a | b | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| against the more aggressive pressers vs the deeper / passive sides | build-up exits with a long ball | 49% | 31% | 0.0165 | |
| against the more aggressive pressers vs the deeper / passive sides | counter-attacks | 7.0/match | 2.6/match | 0.0239 | |
| when trailing vs when level | build-up exits played by the goalkeeper | 31% | 11% | 0.0043 | |
| when trailing vs when level | build-up exits with a long ball | 52% | 28% | 0.0054 |
| date | opponent | result | npxG | opponent press | what happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-22 | at Parma Calcio 1913 | W 1-0 | 1.0–0.7 | mid-intensity press | Won 1-0, chances 0.97 v 0.67 xG. Parma Calcio 1913 pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 14.4, league median 16.0). Biggest departure from their norm: build-up exits down the left 72%, far above their usual 39%. |
| 2026-08-30 | vs Inter | L 0-1 | 0.5–2.8 | pressed aggressively | Lost 0-1 and the chances agreed (0.49 v 2.82 xG). Inter pressed harder than a typical Serie A side does (strict PPDA 12.6, league median 16.0). Biggest departure from their norm: giveaways that led to an opponent shot within 15s 10%, far above their usual 4%. |
| 2026-09-07 | vs Lecce | W 1-0 | 1.3–0.7 | pressed aggressively | Won 1-0, chances 1.28 v 0.71 xG. Lecce pressed harder than a typical Serie A side does (strict PPDA 11.9, league median 16.0). Biggest departure from their norm: counter-attacks 11.0/match, far above their usual 4.6/match. |
| 2026-09-12 | at Atalanta | W 2-1 | 0.3–1.6 | mid-intensity press | Won 2-1 on fewer chances (0.31 v 1.61 xG). Atalanta pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 17.6, league median 16.0). Biggest departure from their norm: build-up exits down the right 50%, far above their usual 35%. |
| 2026-09-19 | at Udinese | W 1-0 | 0.4–1.9 | pressed aggressively | Won 1-0 on fewer chances (0.43 v 1.94 xG). Udinese pressed harder than a typical Serie A side does (strict PPDA 13.4, league median 16.0). Biggest departure from their norm: final-third phases that created (box entry or key pass) 25%, far below their usual 46%. |
| 2026-10-11 | vs Juventus | D 1-1 | 0.5–1.9 | pressed aggressively | Drew 1-1 (0.54 v 1.87 xG). Juventus pressed harder than a typical Serie A side does (strict PPDA 8.1, league median 16.0). Biggest departure from their norm: final-third entries by carrying it in 0%, far below their usual 21%. |
| 2026-10-19 | at Monza | L 0-4 | 2.3–1.2 | mid-intensity press | Lost 0-4 despite the better chances (2.25 v 1.24 xG) -- a finishing / goalkeeping defeat more than a tactical one. Monza pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 15.0, league median 16.0). Biggest departure from their norm: PPDA, strict (opponent passes in their own 60% per committed ball-winning action) 10.3, far below their usual 23.7. |
| 2026-10-24 | vs Bologna | L 0-2 | 0.4–0.5 | mid-intensity press | Lost 0-2 and the chances agreed (0.41 v 0.54 xG). Bologna pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 17.6, league median 16.0). Biggest departure from their norm: box entries with a cross 36%, far above their usual 10%. |
| 2026-10-27 | at Roma | L 2-4 | 1.5–2.6 | pressed aggressively | Lost 2-4 and the chances agreed (1.51 v 2.55 xG). Roma pressed harder than a typical Serie A side does (strict PPDA 12.7, league median 16.0). Biggest departure from their norm: middle-third phases that progressed into the final third 30%, far below their usual 56%. |