Cagliari will play host to Sampdoria at the Stadio Sant’Elia on Sunday afternoon in a battle between two sides at opposite ends of the Serie A table.
The Rossoblu have struggled following the appointment of Zdenek Zeman as coach, managing only one win from their opening six games and teetering dangerously above the relegation zone on four points.
Sampdoria, on the other hand, have been scaling new heights after completing their opening half dozen unbeaten. Four wins and two draws leave the Blucerchiati flying high on 14 points, with only Juventus and Roma above them.
Sinisa Mihajlovic’s team have been a model of defensive solidity so far this campaign, with their defence having been breached only twice against Palermo and Chievo. They are fresh from a hat-trick of victories before the international break and will be eager to kick on and stay apace with the Bianconeri and Giallorossi at Italian football’s summit.
Sampdoria have been buoyed by the rapidly maturing striker Manolo Gabbiadini, who has found the net on three occasions already this season. They will be looking for him to confidently lead the line once again as they face a tricky fixture against Zeman’s men, who are desperate for points. The Blucerchiati are also looking towards Stefano Okaka for inspiration as the 25-year-old’s promising performances are drawing rumblings of a call-up to the Italian national team’s camp.
The return of ‘Zemanlandia’ has fallen flat in the aftermath of a series of underwhelming performances which leaves Cagliari staring down the barrel of another relegation battle this season. There is some light at the end of the tunnel, however, as Zeman’s men proved what they were capable of last month when they comprehensively dismantled Inter at the San Siro thanks to a stunning Albin Ekdal hat-trick.
Unfortunately for Zeman, that trip to Milan was incongruous when set against the rest of their campaign so far and his team desperately need to introduce stability and consistency to their games if they are to survive this season- even the hat-trick hero Ekdal has failed to find the net in any other match.
Both teams will be thankful for three points on Sunday, but for very different reasons. Zeman, especially, will know that his position is under scrutiny following a poor start and may find his head in the guillotine if results to do not improve quickly.
Expected Starting XIs
Cagliari (4-3-3): Cragno; Avelar, Rossetini, Ceppitelli, Balzano; Dessena, Crisetig, Ekdal; Cossu, Ibarbo, Sau.
Sampdoria (4-3-3): Viviano; De Silvestri, Gastaldello, Silvestre, Romagnoli; Soriano, Palombo, Obiang; Gabbiadini, Okaka, Eder
