Watch out for the Cagliari trap. The Sardinians are one of the revelations of the season, sitting fourth in the table with 12 points — two more than Juventus — and managed by Fabio Pisacane in the most impressive overachievement of the early campaign. Luciano Spalletti does not plan to be caught napping. Sunday’s restart will be built around the first-choice players, the titolarissimi, because after three weeks of national team football the priority is immediate reconnection with competitive rhythm and the avoidance of exactly the kind of upset that scarred the equivalent fixture last season — a match Juventus dominated and lost 1-0 in January.
The timing makes it all the more urgent. Cagliari opens a red-alert October of seven fixtures in twenty days across Serie A and the Europa League: Cagliari (away), Celta Vigo (away), Lazio, Rennes, Lecce (away), Genoa (away), and the big match against Napoli on 1 November. The technical and psychological imperatives are inseparable: climbing the table is critical, but so is avoiding the kind of opening stumble that would reignite the nostalgic Conte banners and the chorus of criticism that followed Sassuolo.
The Defence — Bremer at Centre, Kalulu and Lucumí Either Side
The back three is confirmed as the foundation from which Spalletti approaches the tour de force. Bremer anchors the centre; Pierre Kalulu — who started just twice in four France appearances under Zidane — takes one of the wide centre-back positions. The late decision concerns Jhon Lucumí, the last to return to Turin from international duty with Colombia. If prudence prevails, Lloyd Kelly comes in alongside Kalulu and Lucumí is rested; if Spalletti judges him fit enough, Kelly and Gatti are held back for Celta Vigo. The Colombian’s build-up quality from the back remains the specific reason Massara signed him, and Spalletti is reluctant to leave him out when fit.
The Wide Positions — Çelik or Cambiaso, But Not Both
One area where rotation is genuinely expected: the right wing-back slot. Neither Spalletti nor Turkey manager Vincenzo Montella have spared Çelik in this opening to the season — and with Cambiaso now back from his ankle injury, the manager has a real choice. The probability is that one starts at Cagliari and the other at Celta Vigo on Thursday, with four or five changes expected for the Europa League fixture. Which way the decision goes will be determined by the physical condition of both players on their return to the Continassa this week.
The Midfield — Douglas Luiz and Sarr, With McKennie Untouchable
McKennie used the international break to sharpen himself and is undroppable. Douglas Luiz returns from Brazil — whose Nations League campaign he enhanced with two more prominent performances — to guide the midfield alongside Sarr. The Senegalese is now confirmed as the designated starter alongside the Brazilian, with McKennie in his hybrid multiple-role capacity providing the third element of a midfield built for both defensive solidity and attacking dynamism.
The Attack — Kolo Muani Gets His Chance Against Cagliari Despite the Cremonese Warning
The most debated individual choice concerns Randal Kolo Muani, who produced zero shots on target in the first hour of the Cremonese friendly and has yet to score in Serie A in 2026. Spalletti insists. The manager believes in the Frenchman and wants the domestic league to provide what the Europa League already has — the goal that sets him free. He starts at Cagliari.
On the right flank, Conceição demonstrated against Norway that his left thigh contusion has been resolved, starting the Nations League match and completing a full performance. He almost certainly starts at Cagliari with Zhegrova — one goal and an assist for Kosovo, but unavailable for European fixtures — providing the impact from the bench rather than the beginning. Nico González, whose form and importance to this squad have been among the season’s most consistent sub-narratives, is set for confirmation in his starting position.
The Wider Horizon — Spalletti Historically Improves in October
A statistical footnote that Gazzetta attaches to the assessment: Spalletti’s average points per game improves in October (1.92) compared to most months — better only in May (1.94). The manager whose teams always eventually take off, as Sabatini articulated so precisely at the Festival dello Sport, tends to find his gear precisely at this point in the season. The runway is behind him. The flight, if it is coming, begins in Sardinia on Sunday.
