Cagliari vs Roma 3 - 2 (Serie A Goals & Highlights 2021) | Download Mp4

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Download Cagliari vs Roma 3 - 2 (Serie A Goals & Highlights 2021)

The big question heading into Roma's round 33 trip to Cagliari was simply who would Paulo Fonseca trust against the relegation-battling Sardinian side?

Normally when facing a side 10 places below you on the table, that's not a question we have to ask but with the Giallorossi's Europa League semifinal against Manchester United looming on Thursday, Fonseca's lineup choices would give us some indication of who he'll trust at Old Trafford next week.

On the positive side of things, Roma welcomed Stephan El Shaarawy, Marash Kumbulla, and Chris Smalling back into action this week, giving Fonseca a few more lineup permutations to consider between today and Thursday. When the lineup cards came out, it was a bit of a mixed bag from Fonseca. While he started Lorenzo Pellegrini and Pau Lopez for lack of other options, he did give rare starts to Davide Santon and Federico Fazio.

And Santon almost rewarded Fonseca's faith immediately, playing a cross into Lorenzo Pellegrini in only the third minute. It was a good hit from Santon, but judging by Pellegrini's delayed reaction, he likely wasn't expecting the ball to be played that soon—perhaps a byproduct of the two seldom sharing the pitch.

While that wasn't necessarily a horrific miss, Cagliari would punish Roma all the same a minute later.