Artur Ionita made a winning debut for Cagliari. The Moldovan international midfielder was a starter in the Coppa Italia fixture against Spal, IPN reports.

Cagliari thrashed their opponents 5-1, thanks to a poker from Marco Borriello and a strike from Marco Sau. The Sardinian club also fielded big names like European champion Bruno Alves and former Seria A champions with Juventus Mauricio Isla and Simone Padoin.

In their first Serie A match on August 21, Cagliari will travel to Genoa. Artur Ionita joined the team coached by Massimo Rastelli from Hellas Verona for a fee of 4.5 million euros, thus becoming the most expensive Moldovan player ever. In his two seasons for Hellas, Ionita netted 6 goals.