<div style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/sampdoria-qualified-for/image/8817276?term=Sampdoria" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view3.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/8817276/sampdoria-qualified-for/sampdoria-qualified-for.jpg?size=380&amp;imageId=8817276" alt="May 16, 2010 - Genova, Italy - epa02159649 Sampdoria&apos;s soccer player Antonio Cassano, today in Genoa, Italy, 16 May, celebrate the qualification of his team in Champions League after a 1-0 win against SSC Napoli." width="380" height="306" border="0"></figure></div></a></div>
Last season was a special one for the Blucerchiati, as they finished the season in fourth place in Serie A and qualified for the Champions League.&nbsp; The club also unveiled a striker-duo that could not only lead Sampdoria to further success but form the basis of a more potent attack on the Italian national team.&nbsp; But Sampdoria’s rivals have not sat still this offseason (including arch rival <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/serie-a-preview-genoa-aims-for-european-success/2939" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Genoa</a>) and the club must adjust to being one of the clubs on top, not only seeing if they can make a run at the Top 3 but hold-off much improved <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/serie-a-preview-the-resurrection-of-juventus/2945" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Juventus,</a> <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/serie-a-preview-palermo-wont-miss-cavani/3016" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Palermo</a>, and others.
Management: Luigi Del Neri did such a good job developing and leading Sampdoria last season that he was promptly <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/di-carlo-to-guide-sampdoria-into-champions-league/2448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">snatched away by Juventus</a> in the offseason.&nbsp; Into the void stepped former Chievo Verona manager Domenico Di Carlo.&nbsp; In an odd twist of fate, Sampdoria’s 2-1 victory over Parma in 2008 cost Di Carlo his first Serie A job, when he failed to lead Parma out of the relegation zone early in the season.&nbsp; He has received great praise for his ability to be so successful with Chievo, a club with a budget much smaller than most Serie A teams.&nbsp; This will only be his fourth year coaching in Serie A, however, and the expectations are much higher than they were at Chievo.
Transfer Market: The club had a quiet offseason save for reshaping the keeper position.&nbsp; Last year’s starter Storari is in Milan and his replacement is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianluca_Curci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gianluca Curci</a> from Siena.&nbsp; He’s young at 25 and was at one time an heir apparent to Gigi Buffon on the Azzurri, although he has not been called up to the team since 2008.&nbsp; This season could be a chance for him to make his case for inclusion.&nbsp; Another player added to the roster is <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/stats?id=41635&amp;cc=5901" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nicola Pozzi</a>, who is a depth addition to the front line.
Key Players and Formation: A concern going into the season has to be the defense after the disappointing Champions League play-in versus Bremen.&nbsp; A key starter on the backline is Daniele Gastaldello who has ninety-six appearances for the club since 2008.&nbsp; He will likely be flanked by a combination of Marius Stankevicius, Stefano Lucchini and Massimo Volta.&nbsp; I expect the young Swiss international Jonathan Rossini to also compete for substantial playing time.
Captain and Sampdoria stalwart Angelo Palombo returns to anchor a talented midfield after there was some speculation he could go in the offseason.&nbsp; On his right will be former Viola player Franco Semioli who notched two goals last season.&nbsp; Young star-in-the-making Andrea Poli also returns to gain valuable experience and could be a future member of the Italian national team.&nbsp; Depending on his injury sustained in Tuesday’s match, Argentine Fernando Tissone enters the Serie A season as a starter in a midfield where, depending on the match, Di Carlo could play four or five players.
Of course the big names for Sampdoria are the two strikers – Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini.&nbsp; Both had excellent ’09-’10 seasons and both legitimately deserved to play in South Africa, although only one did.&nbsp; They have picked up where they left off against Bremen, scoring all four of the team’s goals.&nbsp; If they stay healthy and motivated, Sampdoria again will have one of the most dangerous attacks in Serie A.&nbsp; If they do not, however, the depth is less spectacular.
Outlook: This week’s Champions League loss <a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/championsleague/story/Samp-boss-saddened-by-CL-exit">was a heartbreaker</a> for the club, and showed some of its faults to an international audience.&nbsp; Nevertheless, this is essentially the same club that finished fourth last season, and they should be expected to compete for the top four again.&nbsp; A couple of keys for the season will be [a] how the players adjust to Di Carlo’s scheme and how Di Carlo adjusts to Top Four calcio, [b] if Cassano <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/the-fate-of-antonio-cassano/1775" target="_blank" rel="noopener">behaves himself</a> and is as productive as he can be, and [c] if this team can handle both a Serie A schedule and the Europa League.

Serie A Preview &#8211; Sampdoria Adjusts to Life At the Top

Serie A Preview - Sampdoria Adjusts to Life At the Top - World Soccer Talk

Serie A Preview – Sampdoria Adjusts to Life At the Top

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Serie A Preview – Sampdoria Adjusts to Life At the Top