A significant summer of change was always expected to occur at Elland Road, with Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips doing their bit to help Leeds stave off relegation before going on to fulfil their dreams of playing Champions League football.
Despite their standing near the foot of the table last term, the Whites still possess the necessary Premier League pull to acquire some notable names, with Brenden Aaronson, Marc Roca and Luis Sinisterra among those ready to push their side higher up the table this season.
After kicking off their pre-season with a 4-0 thumping of Blackpool, Leeds United got the better of Brisbane Roar 2-1 and lost to Aston Villa 1-0 in the Queensland Champions Cup, and they remained in Australia to do battle with fellow Premier League side Palace last Friday.
Rodrigo and Jean-Philippe Mateta were on target as the two clubs shook hands on a 1-1 draw, and Marsch’s new-look crop now have just one more pre-season game to finalise their preparations for a pivotal Premier League season under the American’s tutelage.
While Leeds United managed to avoid a dampening relegation to the second tier last term, the same cannot be said for Cagliari, who will ply their trade in Serie B for the first time since 2016 this time around.
None of Leonardo Semplici, Walter Mazzarri or caretaker boss Alessandro Agostini could prevent Cagliari from slumping to an 18th-placed finish in
the division, and Fabio Liverani will be the man attempting to get his side back into the pinnacle of Italian football at the first time of asking.
Gli Isolani have still managed to post back-to-back wins against Olbia and Ligue 1 high-flyers Strasbourg in pre-season, with Jacopo Desogus and Leonardo Pavoletti on target against the latter before Adrien Thomasson struck a consolation.
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Before beginning their bid to earn promotion back to the top flight, Cagliari’s domestic action resumes with a Coppa Italia round-of-64 battle with Perugia, and a positive performance against Leeds would certainly stand the Italian outfit in good stead for Calcio duties.
Leeds fans witnessed the painful sight of Sinisterra coming off with an injury after just 14 minutes against Crystal Palace, and the attacker is expected to miss out here owing to that hamstring injury.
Adam Forshaw also took a knock to the knee and joins a near full-capacity Elland Road treatment room, which Liam Cooper, Luke Ayling, Junior Firpo, Cody Drameh and Stuart Dallas also occupy.
