[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 28 - 10/3/07 (19.30 UK)

Sampdoria - Cagliari
Stadio Ferraris

Sampdoria will want to get their European qualification bid back on track this weekend at Marassi, but face a rejuvenated Cagliari side who are fighting for their Serie A lives. Doria suffered a frustrating 1-0 loss at Lazio last week which saw boss Walter Novellino lose his cool on the touchline, while the Sardinian outfit edged away from the danger zone with a 2-0 over Atalanta.

Sampdoria had seemingly taken a grip of their destiny this term at long last until their inconsistent form came back to haunt them. Their win-lose trend has lasted for the last four games and defeats to Milan and Lazio have underlined that they are no longer Serie A big boys. They were also overtaken in the table by Fiorentina on Sunday, despite the Viola’s 15-point deduction!

Novellino, who is said to be facing the chop at the end of the season in favour of Reggina’s Walter Mazzarri, should have a relatively strong squad to choose from. However, Cristan Terlizzi is out with injury and Francesco Flachi has been suspended for failing a routine drugs test. The tactician will also have Sergio Volpi unavailable. He picked up a minor thigh strain at the Olimpico which will rule him out for a month. Gennaro Delvecchio should get the nod instead.

Although Samp’s home record of six wins, four draws and three defeats is nothing to fear, Cagliari have won just once on the road this term thanks to a 1-0 at Catania on January 21. In fact, the 2-0 last week was their first triumph overall after five winless ties. The Rossoblu’s paltry tally of just eight goals outside of the Sant’Elia is also a statistic which doesn’t bode well.

However, there does seem to be a renewed air of optimism after boss Marco Giampaolo was recalled to the hotseat. Although they lost to Torino in his first game back, Cagliari looked a decent proposition in the last round of games. And in David Suazo, who scored the first against the Bergamo boys, they have a striker of real talent.

Giampaolo will again be without goalkeeper Antonio Chimenti and long-term absentee Mauro Esposito. Combative midfielder Daniele Conti is also out after picking up one yellow card too many this term. Andrea Capone and Simone Pepe, another scorer last week, will fight it out for Suazo’s striking partner.

Man on fire: David Suazo (Cagliari) – He netted the equaliser in the 1-1 at the Ferraris last term and is again set to be the one to watch.

Last season: Sampdoria 1-1 Cagliari

Form guide: Sampdoria (W W L W L) Cagliari (D L L L W)

Sampdoria (probable): Castellazzi; Zenoni, Falcone, Accardi, Pieri; Maggio, Palombo, Delvecchio, Franceschini; Quagliarella, Bonazzoli

Cagliari (probable): Fortin; Pisano, Lopez, Bianco, Del Grosso; Biondini, Budel, Colucci, D’Agostino; Capone, Suazo

channel4.com - Football Italia