This is opening day in Serie A, and what a way to start. Parma welcome Cagliari to the Ennio Tardini, a ground that can be a fortress when the Crociati get going. The home side have been quietly building through pre-season, with a training camp in Trentino and a triangular tournament at Trento's Briamasco Stadium against Sassuolo and the hosts. That kind of work breeds sharpness, and after a campaign where they scored 28 and conceded 46, the message from the coaching staff is clear: tighten up at the back, but don't lose that attacking spark. Matteo Pellegrino topped their scoring charts with nine league goals last term, and he'll be the man they look to again.

Cagliari, meanwhile, come into this off the back of a Coppa Italia clash with Arezzo just days before. That's a classic cup-tie distraction, and it could leave them leggy or, worse, overconfident if they won comfortably. The Sardinians are a stubborn, organised outfit, but on the road they can struggle to impose themselves. Recent form suggests they're solid rather than spectacular, and against a Parma side with genuine home ambition, that might not be enough. Momentum is with the hosts here — they've had a full week to prepare, while Cagliari have had to manage a midweek fixture. We love the look of Parma on day one.