The 2020-21 campaign was a season of dramatic, last-gasp survival for Cagliari as Casteddu endured a tumultuous year, including a mid-season managerial change. The arrival of Leonardo Semplici sparked a remarkable late-season surge to claw the club out of the relegation zone and secure a vital 16th-place finish in Serie A. Anchoring the team through the turbulence was the talismanic forward João Pedro, whose 16 crucial league goals proved decisive in the desperate fight for top-flight status. It was a defiant year that remains a defining chapter of the club's enduring grit.