Sampdoria v Palermo – Preview: Blucerchiati Look To End Seven Year Itch

Date: 23rd January 2015 at 5:04pm
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Sampdoria will hope to end a seven-year itch when they host Palermo at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday afternoon.

Blucerchiati fans haven’t seen their team beat Palermo since doing the double over them in 2008. Sampdoria had incredibly lost four in a row before this season’s 1-1 draw at the end of August when they needed a Daniele Gastaldello goal in the last-minute to rescue them.

Sampdoria are currently level on 33 points with Napoli and with the southerners not in action until Monday, Sinisa Mihajlovic men have the opportunity to go it alone in third.

That will be easier said than done against their bogey team Palermo, who are starting to enjoy life back in the top flight.

After winning Serie B, Guiseppe Iachini’s side only picked up six points from their opening eight fixtures but, after losing away to champions Juventus, Palermo have only lost once since. That has seen them go from relegation candidates to mid-table safety, the Sicilians are now closer to Sampdoria then they are to the bottom three.

The Rosanero have picked up points on the road but their more comfortable position has been built on their strong home form where they are unbeaten in seven, dropping just four points. The last a 1-1 draw with Scudetto chasering Roma.

Sampdoria started the New Year with defeat to Lazio but recovered to win their next two with three goals scored, none conceded. However, they were to relegation threatened pair Empoli and Parma respectively.

Mihajliovic is also looking for his squad to bounce back after crashing out of the Coppa Italia to Inter with his side ending the match with nine men. That was a weakened team with only Alessio Romagnoli expected to retain his place as the big guns return. One of those is goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano who plays against his parent club.

Palermo will pin their hopes on Argentine sensation Paulo Dybala who has been scoring for fun of late. The 21-year-old has not been on the losing side in ten matches (he missed the defeat to Fiorentina) scoring eight times with three in his last two. Dybala also scored in the side’s draw earlier in the season and will fancy himself to repeat the trick come Sunday.

Form Guide:  Sampdoria (W-D-D-L-W-W) Palermo (D-W-D-W-L-D)

Expected Starting XIs

Sampdoria: Viviano, Regini, Romagnoli, Silvestre, De Silvestri, Obiang, Palombo, Duncan, Soriano, Eder, Bergessio

Palermo: Sorrentino, Andelkovic, Gonzalez, Vitiello, Lazaar, Barreto, Maresca, Rigoni, Morganella, Dybala, Vazquez

 

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