Bari vs Cosenza - Serie C - Girone C

All eyes turn to the home ground on September 26, 2026 as Bari welcome Cosenza in a Serie C - Girone C encounter that promises tension, intrigue and no shortage of subplot. O'Neill made five changes for Celtic's midweek win at St Johnstone as he rested some key players ahead of Sunday's clash.

Both camps will view the Serie C - Girone C meeting at the home ground as an opportunity to put a marker down, regardless of where they currently stand. The hosts have been in fine fettle of late, their recent run of WWDDW underlining a campaign win rate of 60%. The visitors arrive short of confidence, DLDLL in their last five and a season win rate of just 0%. One side has leaned on a miserly defence, the other on a free-scoring attack, and the meeting of those contrasting strengths promises an intriguing tactical subtext. A young right-back is another position City are interested in adding in, while, in terms of outgoings, goalkeeper James Trafford is close to joining Leeds so will need to be replaced.

Pressing intensity will define the contest. Bari will seek to win the ball high up the pitch and suffocate Cosenza's build-up, while the visitors will aim to play through the pressure and exploit the spaces it leaves behind. Schalke were third bottom for possession in winning the second tier, let alone facing Bayern.

Star players on both sides will be eager to make their mark, and the individual duels across the pitch could go a long way to deciding the outcome. The wide areas will be a key battleground, with full-backs and wingers on either side capable of swinging the contest one way or the other. Though they have cast their net to investigate deals for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson and Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus, too, per Sky in Italy.

The fixture has the feel of a coin-flip, and picking a winner with any conviction would require a braver pundit than most. A share of the spoils looks the most probable outcome, with neither side holding a decisive edge — a 1-1 draw feels like a fitting result. With the standings tight and form on the line, this is a fixture neither side will want to lose. The club are understood to favour a profile closer to Aurelien Tchouameni or a Premier League‑proven alternative rather than Manu Kone.