Empoli vs Sampdoria preview - Samp still clinging to Europa dream
Posted Saturday, May 23, 2015 by PA
Sampdoria make the trip to Tuscany on Sunday to face Empoli knowing their hopes of playing in Europe next season remain in the balance.
The Blucerchiati are seventh in the Serie A standings, one place and two points adrift of city rivals Genoa, who hold the last Europa League qualifying spot.
Samp fell 1-0 at home to Lazio last weekend and with just one win collected in their last eight league games, coach Sinisa Mihajlovic knows his side has to step up their game.
"Now we must try to win the remaining two games and see what happens," Mihajlovic told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"We need to recover immediately and focus on Empoli. I believe this team deserves to be in the Europa League for all it has done throughout the campaign.
"It would be a real shame if we didn't qualify but I think we will get there."
Sampdoria, who end the campaign at home to bottom side Parma, have failed to score in two of their last three league games.
"We have to be more clinical in attack," Mihajlovic said.
"We had plenty of chances to score against Lazio and we didn't take them.
"We must do better in our final two games and finish the season strongly."
Samuel Eto'o, who has scored just one goal in 16 league appearances since joining Samp from Everton in January, will partner Luis Muriel in attack.
Since beating Torino 1-0 earlier this month to ensure themselves a place in next season's top flight, Empoli have taken their foot off the pedal.
The Tuscan minnows have lost their last two games, including last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Hellas Verona, to drop to 16th in the standings.
"It's difficult to be fully concentrated when you have achieved your aim," Empoli coach Maurizio Sarri said.
"But we could have and should have done better in Verona.
"I'm disappointed with my players' performance and I expect a reaction on Sunday."
Sarri will have all of his players available with the exception of striker Simone Verdi, who must serve a one-match ban this weekend.
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