Juventus make Serie A history after losing to Cagliari with 78% possession

January 18, 2026 • 0 • min read

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Juventus make Serie A history after losing to Cagliari with 78% possession

Juventus have set an unwanted piece of Serie A history after suffering a shock 1-0 defeat to Cagliari, despite dominating the match with 78% possession.

According to Opta, the Bianconeri became the first team since possession data began being recorded in 2004 to lose a Serie A game whilst holding at least 78% of the ball.

The extraordinary statistic followed Juventus' defeat at the Unipol Domus on Saturday night, a match they appeared to control from start to finish - except where it mattered most.

Total Dominance, Zero Reward

Juventus' numbers were staggering:

20 shots to Cagliari's three
18 corners to one
xG of 1.17 compared to 0.2
92% passing accuracy compared to 66%

On paper, it looked like a match Juventus simply couldn't lose - yet the scoreboard told a different story.

Despite creating chance after chance, Juventus failed to find the breakthrough, registering five shots on target without scoring.

Cagliari, by contrast, needed just one shot on target to win the game.

Mazzitelli Volley Stuns Juventus

The decisive moment came in the second half when Luca Mazzitelli struck a volley to give Cagliari the lead - a goal that proved to be the difference in a match that Juventus largely monopolised.

For Cagliari, it was a night of discipline, defensive resilience and ruthless efficiency.

For Juventus, it was a painful reminder that control of possession means little without end product.

A Record Juventus Won't Want to Keep

The result has already gone down as a statistical outlier in modern Italian football.

Opta confirmed Juventus are the first team in more than two decades of recorded data to lose a Serie A match after reaching the 78% possession mark - turning what should have been dominance into a historic frustration.

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