Sampdoria are resting key men ahead of Sunday’s showdown with Inter Milan in Serie A but they’ve more than enough quality in their squad to return to Italy with a point on Thursday and should be backed to do so.
The Genoa club travel to Ukraine to take on Metalist and should arrive full of confidence. It is just two defeats in 19 matches in all competitions for Domenico di Carlo and his side and, despite the fact that Giampaolo Pazzini and Angelo Palomobo have remained in Italy, Samp should prove tough to beat.
A 2-1 come-from-behind win over Fiorentina last time out snapped a run of four consecutive top flight draws, Antonio Cassano proving the match-winner, and anything gained from Thursday’s clash will put Sampdoria in pole position to quality from the group.
Currently sitting seventh in Serie A, Sampdoria beat Debrecen 1-0 in their latest Europa League fixture and that followed on from a well-earned point in Eindhoven against PSV.
Thursday’s opponents, in contrast, enter the clash in fairly wretched from and Metalsit know that defeat will leave them with a mountain to climb if they are to advance to the last 32. They were impressive when thumping the Hungarians away from home but a 2-0 reversal against the Eredivisie giants was far from ideal and that has been the pattern for coach Myron Markevych this season.
Fourth in the Ukrainian top flight, but some way adrift of pace-setters Shakhtar Donetsk, Metalist have lost four of six matches in front of their own fans this season, conceding 12 goals in the process, while their results on their travels have been fantastic.
Having lost six of their last nine matches on home soil, I couldn’t be going anywhere near the hosts at less then 2.50, despite di Carlo’s likely decision to make changes, and will be laying Metalist accordingly.
Sampdoria are a cut above their opponents and star man Cassano, providing he gets the nod, can lead the way.
2pts Lay Metalist (vs. Sampdoria) @ 2.50 (Betfair)