Yet to win at home in Serie A this season, Sampdoria aim to claim maximum points at the 12th attempt on Saturday, when they host mid-table Bologna.

Though they doggedly held Inter goalless at Marassi on Monday, Samp are still eight points shy of safety. Meanwhile, their visitors' fine run of form ended in defeat against Monza last week.

Match preview

After slipping up in stoppage time to squander two points a week previously, Sampdoria's second Monday night fixture on the spin also ended in a draw. However, digging out a 0-0 scoreline against in-form Inter represented a far more palatable result for the Serie A strugglers.

Relying on new captain Emil Audero to make several important saves, the Blucerchiati managed to shut out Lautaro Martinez and co until the final whistle, and their first time avoiding defeat in successive matches for nearly a year signals that relegation may not be inevitable.

Dejan Stankovic's side now aim to keep back-to-back clean sheets in the league for the first time since May 2021, but sitting second from bottom of the standings and still well adrift of safety, they need to find some inspiration at the other end too.

Manolo Gabbiadini showed a flash of better form by bagging a brace in the 2-2 draw at Monza, but Samp remain Serie A's lowest scorers by some distance, with just 10 goals recorded all season.

With a tough trip to Lazio still to come before the end of February, they will therefore be desperate to get off the mark with an overdue first home victory - but Bologna have won each of their last three away games against Sampdoria.

All told, Bologna have won seven of their last eight league meetings with Saturday's opponents, while drawing the other: October's reverse fixture at Dall'Ara, in which Nicolas Dominguez's first-half strike was later cancelled out by a Filip Djuricic equaliser.

More recently, they lost their first game in five last weekend, which brought a halt to the momentum building behind Thiago Motta's reign since returning from the winter break.

Mid-table rivals Monza took three points home in the teams' clash last Sunday, but a disappointing 1-0 defeat still leaves the Rossoblu 11th in the table and level with fallen giants Juventus.

Dreams of an improbable push for Europe have dimmed, though, as Bologna are now some 10 points off the top six. Also out of the Coppa Italia, their main aim will surely be to secure a top-half finish come June, after ending up either 12th or 13th in the past three years.

Despite leaking plenty of goals on the road this season, the Emilian club have won their last two away matches in Serie A - both 2-1, against Udinese and Fiorentina - and only once in the last 59 years have they managed to post three in a row. Given their hosts' sorry state, Motta's men may feel the chance to match that run is theirs for the taking.

Team News

Despite an admirable effort in repelling Inter last time out, Sampdoria may make some changes this weekend, as Mehdi Leris is available again following a one-match ban and Abdelhamid Sabiri could feature after making peace with Dejan Stankovic following a fall-out between the pair.

Up front, Manolo Gabbiadini keeps his place, having scored six Serie A goals against Bologna in the past, including his first in the Italian top flight back in March 2012. Though unlikely to start, Jese Rodriguez - who recently joined the Blucerchiati as a free agent - could play a part after missing out entirely on Monday.

Meanwhile, Ignacio Pussetto is set to miss the rest of the season following knee surgery, with January signing Koray Gunter an injury doubt once again.

Bologna recently celebrated the return of star striker Marko Arnautovic after a frustratingly long layoff, but having been back on the bench against Monza, the Austrian is now suspended due to accumulated bookings.

Arnautovic's compatriot Stefan Posch is Serie A's top-scoring defender with four goals this season, and he may continue to fill in at centre-back in the ongoing absence of Adama Soumaoro and Kevin Bonifazi.

Nicola Sansone and Joshua Zirkzee are both set to be sidelined on Saturday, but Riccardo Orsolini has been involved in each of Bologna's last four league goals and will provide a threat from the right flank. Lewis Ferguson failed to impress in a 'false nine' role last week, so Musa Barrow could cover for Arnautovic and Zirkzee instead.

Sampdoria possible starting lineup:
Audero; Amione, Nuytinck, Murillo; Leris, Cuisance, Winks, Augello; Djuricic; Gabbiadini, Lammers

Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Cambiaso, Posch, Sosa, Lykogiannis; Dominguez, Schouten; Orsolini, Ferguson, Soriano; Barrow

We say: Sampdoria 1-0 Bologna

Samp have scored in just one of their last six games, while Bologna have hardly been prolific during 2023 to date. A close contest is to be expected, then, but it could finally be the day that the Blucerchiati faithful see their unstinting support rewarded with maximum points.

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