Roma, despite their ongoing problems in Europe, will play Sampdoria in Serie A on Monday in an effort to win their third straight league game.
The hosts are still winless and at the bottom of the standings, but Jose Mourinho’s team was only four points back in first place after last week’s 9th round, which saw them defeat Lecce 2-1.
Roma may have believed that moving up a level in continental competition would be a breeze after winning the Europa Conference League, but so far this season, they have struggled in the Europa League.
Even though Andrea Belotti’s equaliser earned them a valuable point at Real Betis on Thursday, the Giallorossi are still in last place in the Group C standings, behind Ludogorets of Bulgaria and the La Liga team. There are still two Group C matchdays left for them to make up lost ground.
It was Roma’s first game since their star player Paulo Dybala suffered an injury that could sideline him for a few weeks during their midweek match in Seville. Curiously, ‘La Joya’ hurt his thigh while scoring his team’s winning goal against Lecce last week at Stadio Olimpico while maintaining composure.
No team has led in more Serie A games this season without losing a point from a lead, and Roma’s tally of six in that reference illustrates the improved mentality cultivated by their cunning head coach, despite the fact that they conceded Gabriel Strefezza’s equaliser the last time out.
By defeating Mourinho’s former employers Inter a week earlier, they overcame a terrible record against the other members of Calcio’s “big six,” and when they travel to Marassi, they will be looking for their third straight domestic victory.
The Portuguese tactician, who will face off against a fellow Nerazzurri hero from their 2010 treble-winning campaign, also has history on his side: Roma has defeated Sampdoria in five of their last eight league games, including their most recent trip to Genoa in April, when Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s goal gave them the victory and all three points.
Sampdoria will host their rivals from the capital during a crisis that has them anchored to the bottom of the table and without a league victory. Overall, Sampdoria are winless in their last six Serie A meetings with Roma.
Samp are currently experiencing their longest winless streak in the Italian elite since 2006 following last week’s 1-1 draw at Bologna, and it has now been a total of 10 games since they last won all three points.
The Ligurian club’s board fired Marco Giampaolo earlier this month after a humiliating 3-0 loss to Monza, but new manager Dejan Stankovic hasn’t even had a chance to get his bearings before taking on his former Inter boss for the first time as a manager.
Sampdoria has only kept a clean sheet in the first half once in Serie A this season, highlighting a weakness in the ageing team that the Serbian manager, who had success at Red Star Belgrade before taking on the challenge of reviving the struggling Blucerchiati, inherited.
Samp must stop their unstoppable decline if they want to avoid relegation; after nine rounds, they are already four points behind Bologna in 17th place and have lost 19 of their last 28 games overall. Samp has had the worst start to a top-flight season in club history.
Samp must stop their unstoppable decline if they want to avoid relegation; after nine rounds, they are already four points behind Bologna in 17th place and have lost 19 of their last 28 games overall. Samp has had the worst start to a top-flight season in club history.
Belotti has not scored against Sampdoria at Marassi since November 2018, despite having scored nine Serie A goals against them previously, his joint-most against any opponent.
Jose Mourinho will have Nicolo Zaniolo back at his disposal on Monday after serving a suspension in the Europa Conference League, but he will still be without Zeki Celik and Georginio Wijnaldum due to injury. Tammy Abraham, a struggling striker, would be benched if the Italy forward was selected.
The home team’s defence will also need to change before Dejan Stankovic’s first game at Stadio Luigi Ferraris because Jeison Murillo, a defender from Colombia, suffered a hamstring injury last week and will be out until December.
Tomas Rincon and Ronaldo Vieira should team up in midfield since Harry Winks has resumed full training but won’t make his Sampdoria debut for a while.
Fellow Serbian Filip Djuricic, who scored Samp’s equaliser against Bologna the last time out, has been directly involved in four goals over his last four league games against Roma.
Sampdoria possible starting lineup:
Audero; Bereszynski, Ferrari, Colley, Augello; Rincon, Vieira; Gabbiadini, Sabiri, Filip Djuricic; Caputo
Roma possible starting lineup:
Patricio; Mancini, Smalling, Ibanez; Zalewski, Cristante, Camara, Spinazzola; Pellegrini, Zaniolo; Andrea Belotti
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