Ragnar Klavan himself only officially joined the team on Friday and did not start for Cagliari nor was he named in Rolando Maran's squad, so played no part in the game which saw Empoli score twice in the 14th and 52nd minutes of the game.

Cagliari Calcio's next game and their debut home game of the season is on Saturday 26 August against Sassuolo. Cagliari avoided relegation to Serie B in the 2017-18 season, finishing 16th, and the team is currently playing in its temporary home of the Sardegna Arena, very close to the Sardinian capital's marina and waterfront, and adjacent to the site of the yet-to-be-built new stadium, due for completion in 2021.

Central Defender Ragnar Klavan, 32, from Viljandi in central Estonia, was signed from the English Premier League team Liverpool F.C. for a reported €2 million, having played two seasons at Anfield, racking up two goals, though often struggling to get a regular start on the pitch.