World Soccer: Club Focus

Club Focus - Cagliari

Club Statistics
City (Population): Cagliari (159,312)
Founded: 1920
President: Massimo Cellino
Coach: Marco Giampaolo
Club Address: Viale La Playa, 15 09123 Cagliari
(Tel 0039-070-604201/Fax 6042029)
Website: www.cagliaricalcio.it
Stadium: Sant'Elia
Address: Via Vespucci, 09126 Cagliari
Capacity: 23,486; Average Attendance 2006-07: 10,000
Pitch dimensions: 105m x 66m
Training Ground: Centro Sportivo Ercole Cellino,
Localita Sa Ruina, Assemini
Most capped Italian: Luigi Riva - 24
Transfer record paid: Patrick M'Boma - £5.1 million from Gamba Osaka (1998)
Transfer record recieved: David Suazo - £10 million to Inter Milan (2007)
Club nickname: Rossoblu (Red-blues) & Isolani (Islanders)
Team strip Home: Red & Blue Halved jersey, blue shorts & socks
Away: White jersey, white shorts and socks.
Shirt sponsor: Tiscali
Kit manufacturer: Umbro

Serie A Records
P 914 W 270 D 331 L 313 F 985 A 1052 (*)
Debut season: 1965-66
Seasons: 28
Most appearances: Claudio Nene - 311
All-time top sorer: Luigi Riva - 156
Season's top scorer: David Suazo - 22 (2005-06)
Most/Least points: 45 (1969-70) / 19 (1975-76)
Biggest home win: 5-0 v Sampdoria (1998-99)
Biggest home defeat: 0-4 v AC Milan (1970-71)
Biggest away win: 6-1 v Varese (1968-69) & 5-0 v Torino (1992-93)
Biggest away defeat: 0-5 v Sampdoria (1994-95) & Napoli (1974-75)
Most/Least wins: 17 (1969-70) / 3 (1999-2000)
Most/Least defeats: 18 (1999-2000) / 2 (1969-70)
Most/Least goals: 51 (2005-06) / 22 (1974-75)
Most/Least conceded: 62 (1996-97) / 11 (1969-70)

Cagliari Squad 2007-08
26 Marco Fortin (G) DOB: 08.07.74
1 Vincenzo Marruocco (G) DOB: 26.03.79
31 Alessandro Agostini (D) DOB: 04.04.79
20 Paolo Bianco (D) DOB: 20.08.77
22 Joe Bizera (D) DOB: 17.05.80
3 Michele Canini (D) DOB: 05.06.85
13 Cristiano Del Grosso (D) DOB: 24.03.83
29 Michele Ferri (D) DOB: 28.05.81
27 Giacomo Garau (D) DOB: 27.02.88
6 Diego Lopez (D) DOB: 22.08.74
28 Daniele Magliocchetti (D) DOB: 11.05.86
14 Francesco Pisano (D) DOB: 29.04.86
16 Davide Biondini (M) DOB: 24.01.83
4 Alessandro Budel (M) DOB: 25.02.81
5 Daniele Conti (M) DOB: 09.01.79
7 Antonino D'Agostino (M) DOB: 08.10.78
23 Michele Fini (M) DOB: 14.06.74
10 Pasquale Foggia (M) DOB: 03.06.83
35 Marco Mancosu (M) DOB: 22.08.88
2 Davide Marchini (M) DOB: 23.02.81
18 Andrea Parola (M) DOB: 22.04.79
24 Rijat Shala (M) DOB: 26.09.83
9 Robert Acquafresca (F) DOB: 11.09.87
19 Tiziano Bruzzone (F) DOB: 19.08.84
19 Joaquin Larrivey (F) DOB: 20.08.84
32 Alessandro Matri (F) DOB: 19.08.84
- Marco Sau (F) DOB: 03.12.87

History
Cagliari Calcio is an Italian football club based in Cagliari, Sardinia. The club was formed in 1920 and currently plays in Italian Serie A, having spent a large part of recent years bouncing between Italy's top division and Serie B. They won their only scudetto in 1970, when they were led by Italian national team all-time leading scorer, Gigi Riva. The team's colors are blue and red. The club's stadium is the 23,486 seater Stadio Sant'Elia. Cagliari became the first ever out-right champions of Serie C during the 1951-52 season, prior to that in the league the championship was shared amongst more than one team. They spent the 1950s from then on in Serie B, losing a promotion play-off in 1954. After descending to Serie C in the early 1960s, Cagliari's rise would be meteoric- eventually achieving promotion to Serie A in 1964.

The squad for the Rossoblu's debut season in Serie A featured players like defender Mario Martiradonna, midfielders Pierluigi Cera and Riccioti Greatti, and forward Luigi Riva. A poor first half of the season saw Cagliari in last place with 9 points at the halfway mark. An astonishing second half of the season saw Cagliari defeat the likes of Juventus and Milan and finish in 7th place with 34 points. Two seasons later Riva finished Serie A top scorer for the first time while Cagliari finished with the league's best defensive record. During the summer of 1967, Cagliari played a season in North America as part of a fledgling league called the United Soccer Association. This league from Europe and South America to play in American and Canadian cities, with each club bearing a local name. Cagliari played as the Chicago Mustangs, and finished joint second in the league's Western Division with 13 points, two behind the division champion and eventual league champion Los Angeles Wolves. The league's leading scorer was Chicago/Cagliari's Roberto Boninsegna, who scored 10 goals while playing in 9 of the team's 12 games.

Cagliari first emerged as serious Serie A title contenders in 1968-69 with a three-horse race involving them, Fiorentina and Milan. Fiorentina would win the league, but the following season would bring ultimate glory. With Angelo Domenghini joining the side, Cagliari would win the title in 1970 with only two games lost, 11 goals conceded (the fewest in any major European league to date) and Riva as league top scorer once more. Players like Cera, Domenghini and Riva played in Italy's 1970 World Cup Final team. The 1970s would see a gradual decline (though were title contenders two years after their one and only scudetto win) Cagliari were finally relegated in 1976 with Riva's career having effectively ended during that season.

After relegation, Cagliari lost a play-off for promotion the following season and would return to Serie A in 1979. Players like Franco Selvaggi, Mario Brugnera (a survivor of the 1970 team) and Alberto Marchetti ensured a respectable four-year stay in the top flight before a second relegation in 1983. The 80s would then prove to be a darker time compared to the previous two decades with relegation to Serie C1 in 1987. Cagliari spent two seasons in Serie C1. In the first one it barely avoided relegation in Serie C2. In 1988, Claudio Ranieri was appointed coach, and led the team to two successive promotions, to Serie B in 1989 and to Serie A in 1990. The first two seasons back in Serie A saw Cagliari fight relegation, with safety being achieved by excellent second half runs. But season 1992-93 would see Cagliari fight for a European place and succeed under the management of Carlo Mazzone. The following season saw a run to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup, unprecedented for the Sardinian club.

The next few years would see Cagliari return to mid-table anonymity, before a struggle in 1996-97 saw Cagliari relegated after losing a play-off to Piacenza. Once more they bounced back after just one year, but their next stay in Serie A lasted just two seasons. Cagliari spent the next four seasons in Serie B, for most part in mid-table mediocrity. But 2003-04 would see the Rossoblu, led by Sardinian-born Gianfranco Zola, mount a successful promotion challenge and the following season saw Cagliari hold their own in Serie A with a respectable mid-table finish. The following season was a quiet one for the Sardinians, that obtained a good mid-table position (12th place).

The 2005-06 season, the first without Zola, started in the worst way possible for Cagliari, which changed its manager for three times, with Attilio Tesser, Daniele Arrigoni and Davide Ballardini alternating to the position of coach, before Nedo Sonetti, appointed in November, who was able to save the team from a relegation also thanks to goals of Honduran striker David Suazo. For the 2006/2007 season, Marco Giampaolo was signed as head coach, however he was fired after the 17th matchday and replaced by Franco Colomba. However, after a number of poor performances ending in a 2-0 home defeat to Lazio, Colomba was sacked, and chairman Cellino chose to reinstate Giampaolo as head coach.

2007-2008 Season
Many may feel Cagliari will be fighting for survival come May, but watching them so far this season, the Rossoblu should have enough in them to comfortably survive. Pasquale Foggia is a key figure in this side for me with his forceful direct forays down the right side of midfield, however, what lets Foggia down is his tendancy to dive. Robert Acquafresca, a 20-year-old signing from Treviso should repeat his goal tally of the 13 goals he netted last season which will be crucial in the sardinians club's cause, whilst at the opposite end of the pitch, 21 year-old defender Francesco Pisano will be a rock in the left back position. Expect a very attack minded, fast paced mentality from Cagliari outfit this season, full of excitement. If they can be solid in a defensive role, they have every opportunity of having an enjoyable 2007-2008.
Woody's prediction: I fully believe Cagliari will have a decent campaign in them and feel they will achieve a mid-table finishing position of 12th.

(*) = Serie A record up to and including 2 September 2007

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Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

Edited by stephen_woodside (10/09/2007 20:19)

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