Sampdoria’s assault on Verona
Sampdoria’s turbulent season has included the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Walter Zenga’s return was short-lived, while the appointment of Vincenzo Montella did not go as planned, taking over a month to claim his first three points and with the high transfer load during the January window, it is difficult to judge the club’s position.
A much more positive home team arrived on the pitch to play Verona, amassing seven shots on target in the first half, more than any full match this season, resulting in three goals. It is also first time I Blucerchiati have kept two consecutive clean sheets this season after a monumental effort by their goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.
Fiorentina’s leaky ship
La Viola have been very much deprived of success during their Serie A stint, not able to lift the Scudetto since 1968-69, despite owning the characteristic of being a tough team to beat at home due to their stubborn and compact formations.
These systems allow Fiorentina to have their best chance of winning matches by keeping the opposition’s scoring as low as possible, and have been a successful venture for much of this season with a strong display in midfield. However, Roma’s seven game winning streak was enough to break down Paulo Sousa’s men, who scored four goals against the away side, the first time four goals had hit the back of the net since 10 March 2015, ironically, against the blue side of Rome in Lazio.
Fiorentina will need to grab maximum points for the remainder of the season to keep the pressure on Roma in the hope of claiming a Champions League qualification spot.
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