Lazio Vs Cagliari: Baroni And Nicola Renew Rivalry As Serie A's Eleventh Matchday

Lazio and Cagliari are set to conclude Serie A's eleventh matchday on Monday at 8:45 pm local time. Currently, Baroni's Lazio sits fifth in the standings with 19 points, matching Atalanta and Fiorentina, who are third and fourth respectively. Cagliari, however, has had a more challenging season, managing two wins, three draws, and five losses in their first ten league games. This match marks the eighth meeting between Lazio coach Marco Baroni and Cagliari's Davide Nicola, who have previously faced off in Serie C, Serie B, and Serie A.

Head-to-Head in Serie C and Serie B:

The two coaches have met seven times before, with each securing two wins and three matches ending in a draw. Their first encounter occurred in Serie C when Baroni’s Cremonese defeated Nicola’s Lumezzane 1-0, thanks to an 88th-minute goal by Alberto Bianchi. In the 2014-2015 Serie B season, Baroni’s Pescara and Nicola’s Bari played to a 0-0 draw. The following season saw another tie, 1-1, between Novara (led by Baroni) and Bari, with Faragò and Faraoni scoring for each side.

Encounters in Serie A:  

After their meetings in Serie C and Serie B, Baroni and Nicola eventually faced each other in Serie A, with four matchups. Nicola holds two victories, Baroni one, and one match ended in a draw. Their first Serie A clash was in 2017-2018 when Nicola’s Crotone defeated Baroni’s Benevento 2-0 with goals from Mandragora and Rohdèn. The following season, both coaches changed clubs, with Nicola joining Udinese and Baroni taking over Frosinone; their match ended in a 1-1 draw, with goals by Mandragora and Ciano. 

In the 2022-2023 season, they met again when Baroni’s Lecce won 2-1 against Nicola’s Salernitana, with Ceesay and Strefezza scoring for Lecce, and Joan González briefly equalizing for Salernitana. However, in the reverse fixture, Salernitana emerged victorious in Puglia, with Dia and Vilhena giving them a 2-1 win despite Strefezza’s early response for Lecce.