The 2002-03 campaign saw Cagliari Calcio, known as Casteddu, continue their run in the Italian second tier, securing a respectable 9th-place finish in Serie B. The team's attack was spearheaded by the emerging talent Mauro Esposito, whose 11 goals in the league proved decisive, working alongside David Suazo. Although the season was one of consolidation rather than promotion, and was later overshadowed by the turbulent "Caso Catania" league controversy, the team's stable performance and the burgeoning partnership of its forwards set the crucial groundwork for the legendary arrival of Gianfranco Zola and the club's eventual Serie A return in the subsequent campaign.