One defeat since 1998: All the key stats ahead of Cagliari vs. Milan

AC Milan will open 2026 with a game against Cagliari away from home, hoping to pick up where they left off after the win over Verona.

Milan and Cagliari have battled it out 93 times before, making this the 94th encounter. The Rossoneri have a pretty big advantage with 54 wins, with nine wins for the Sardinians and 30 draws. In fact, the most recent defeat for Milan dates back to the 2016-17 season, the only one this century.

There will also be a lust for revenge as Cagliari snatched a 3-3 draw the last time Milan visited the Unipol Domus. Despite taking the lead twice, Paulo Fonseca’s men only came away with one point after a 89th-minute screamer from Gabriele Zappa.

You can read the latest team news and further insight on the opponents in our pre-match preview, while below are the best stats in view of the game.

Cagliari vs. Milan: Key facts and stats

➤ There have been 46 official meetings between the two teams in Sardinia: Cagliari have won 5 (most recently 2–1 in Serie A 2016/17), there have been 19 draws (most recently 3–3 in Serie A 2024/25) and Milan have won 22 (most recently 3–1 in Serie A 2023/24).

➤ Cagliari’s last home win over the Rossoneri dates back to 28 May 2017: a 2–1 victory, with a goal from João Pedro, Lapadula’s equaliser for Milan, and a last-gasp winner by Fabio Pisacane.

➤ Milan have scored in 14 consecutive away matches at Cagliari, for a total of 25 goals. The last time a match in Sardinia ended with Milan failing to score was 5 October 2008 (0–0).

Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images

➤ On 1 February 1976, Cagliari 1-3 Milan was Gigi Riva’s last match: he suffered the serious injury that halted his career and was replaced by Marchesi in the 53rd minute.

➤ Cagliari have scored in six consecutive matches: it is their longest scoring run of the season, with 10 goals in that spell. Their last match without scoring was on 8 November, a 0–0 draw against Como.

➤ Cagliari are one of six Serie A teams that have not yet received a red card, along with Lecce, Napoli, Torino, Inter and Verona.

➤ Milan are the Serie A 2025/26 side against whom the most penalties have been awarded after 17 matchdays (5), level with Udinese.

➤ 13 of Milan’s 27 goals have been scored around half-time: specifically, 6 goals from the 31st to the 45th minute (stoppage time included) – level with Bologna, Atalanta and Napoli – and 7 from the 46th to the 60th minute, level with Bologna.

➤ Milan are unbeaten in 15 league matches: 10 wins and 5 draws. Milan have gone unbeaten for at least 15 consecutive matches in a single top-flight campaign for the first time since 2021/22.

➤ Across Europe’s top five leagues, no team has made fewer substitutions than Milan (56). On the other hand, only Inter (13) and Juventus (13) have had more different goalscorers than Milan (12) in Serie A.

➤ Massimiliano Allegri is the “ex” of the day: he managed the Rossoblù from July 2008 to April 2010, taking charge of 74 official matches with a record of 27 wins, 15 draws and 32 defeats.

➤ Fabio Pisacane faced Milan six times as a player, all of them for Cagliari: a record of five defeats and one win – the May 2017 match, in which he also scored.

➤ Christopher Nkunku recorded his first Italian brace last time out. The French forward had not scored in the league since 25 February (Chelsea–Southampton 4–0, Premier League). His last brace in official matches came on 7 November 2024 (Chelsea–Noah 8–0, Conference League), while his last brace in a league match dated back to 27 May 2023 (Leipzig–Schalke 04 4–2, Bundesliga).