Soccer Italy Serie A Prediction

Sampdoria vs Empoli - Match Preview

⚽ 15 May 2023 - 18:45 GMT +0

Officially relegated from Serie A (SA) with four rounds remaining after a 2-0 defeat to Udinese last Monday, Sampdoria also faces the prospect of administrative demotion to Serie D due to possible bankruptcy, according to reports. Coach Dejan Stanković felt “huge disappointment and sadness” after the result but expects that the “situation can be resolved in the best possible way.”

With just a single victory in their last 19 matches (D5, L13), it’s no surprise that La Samp are the first SA team to bite the dust this term. They are already guaranteed to finish the season with their lowest points tally in the three-points-per-win era, so any gains here can only be a bonus. Having avoided defeat in four of their last seven home matches (W1, D3, L3), Stadio Luigi Ferraris could still provide some relief for a beleaguered team low on confidence.

Empoli defeated Salernitana 2-1 on Monday to post consecutive wins for only the second time this season as they moved closer to mathematical safety, remaining two points adrift of the hallowed 40-point mark. Coach Paolo Zanetti hailed “the desire to fight for every ball” as the club looks to continue their winning run and post a top-flight season H2H double over Sampdoria for the first time since 2006/07 after a 1-0 win in the reverse fixture.

To achieve that, the Azzurri need to halt a seven-game winless streak on the road (D2, L5), bookended by two straight defeats including one against relegation-threatened Cremonese. Any hopes of addressing their away day blues will need Empoli to overcome their goal-shy nature, having failed to score in 15 of their 27 SA H2Hs, only managing a worse record against Juventus.

📋 Players to watch: Veteran Sampdoria striker Fabio Quagliarella has happy memories of facing Empoli, contributing to a goal in each of his last four SA H2Hs (G4, A1). Equally effective in this fixture, Empoli’s Francesco Caputo had a memorable day in his last personal H2H visit, scoring and assisting in a 3-2 win for Sassuolo.

⚡ Hot stat: Sampdoria and Empoli have conceded 15 SA goals each beyond the 80th minute, the joint-most ahead of this round.