Roma suffered a humiliating and hugely upsetting 5-1 hammering by Cagliari earlier this season and this weekend's game will be about leveling out the field. With the Giallorossi now having recovered from that early season blip and fighting for the Scudetto, they will be looking to behead this ghost.
Roma head into the encounter high on confidence after the 2-1 defeat of city-rivals Lazio in the Coppa Italia Round of 16 in midweek. That followed a narrow 1-0 win in Cesena last weekend, which means that the Lupi are level on points with Inter on 35 from 20 matches and just two behind Lazio, who are a further four points off the pace.
Coach Claudio Ranieri, who has come under criticism for his (reported) dressing room problems with captain Francesco Totti, is looking for revenge and fires, "Cagliari scored five goals against us the last time we played them and I have not forgotten that. That result still burns.''
Mid-Table Comfort
Mathematically, Cagliari are still in danger of getting sucked into the relegation dogfight. With 26 points from 20 matches, the Sardinians are seven points above the dropzone - a couple of defeats and they would be back among the teams scrapping for survival.
The encouraging point is that the sides below Cagliari are in wretched form and in all probabilities the Isolani will eventually get away with a respectable mid-table position. Not that Roberto Donadoni's side aren't putting in the effort to ascertain that - the new year has seen the Rossoblu almost hold Milan to a goalless draw at home, defeat Parma 2-1 away and batter ambitious and quality-laden Palermo 3-1.
Donadoni is not getting carried away, though, and humbly says, "We are on the right path. I'm very pleased with my team's performance but we cannot relax.
"There are still many games left to play and things can turn around when you least expect it. That is why we have to remain humble and focused.''
TEAM NEWS
Roma
Pizarro and Adriano are injured while Burdisso is suspended. Totti and Borriello will start upfront as the two forwards in a 4-3-1-2 formation.
Cagliari
Lazzari and Pinardi are injured for Cagliari and will miss the trip to Rome. In a 4-3-1-2 formation, Acquafresca and Matri will be the two centre-forwards with Cossu as the creative mind just behind them.
Prediction
A win for Roma seems to be the most likely outcome. Cagliari do have the potential to spring a surprise or two but one suspects that the hosts will eventually have it easy in the end.
Roma 2-0 Cagliari 
