Napoli-Sampdoria Match Preview

An award-laden Napoli host relegation-bound Sampdoria at a jam-packed Stadio Diego Armando Maradona (inside and outside) on the final Matchay of a historic season for the Partenopei.

SSC Napoli

On Friday, Luciano Spalletti and three Napoli players were recipients of Serie A awards. The Napoli Mister was named Serie A’s best coach, while Kim Min-Jae, Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were named Best Defender, Best Striker and Most Valuable Player, respectively.  Giovanni Di Lorenzo, who was also nominated for the Best Defender award, joined  Kim, Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia on the FIFA 23 Team of the Season.

Aside from Kim, who is suspended, Spalletti will have all in his starting XI as he rewards his best performers with one final start. Time will tell which award-winners stay at Napoli to try to run in back next season. It will be an emotional day for everyone, especially Spalletti, who has already confirmed this will be his final match at Napoli.

Kim Min-jae might have already played his final match in the azzurri. amidst speculation that Manchester United will pay his buy-out clause, which the option opens in July.  Italian media report that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is on the verge of signing a contract extension to 2027, with a bump up in pay to €2.5 million per season. Meanwhile, Aurelio De Laurentiis will only let go of Osimhen for a very steep offer. That offer could potentially come from Real Madrid, who confirmed the departure of star striker Karim Benzema on Sunday.

Another player who is certain to stay at Napoli is Di Lorenzo. The quiet captain will lift the Coppa Campioni D’Italia after the match, officially confirming Napoli as champions of Italy, despite mathematically securing the title with five rounds to spare. And then, the parties will resume.

UC Sampdoria

At the opposite end of the table, Sampdoria will muster the energy to close what will be the worst season in the club’s history.  With only 19 points through 37 matches, the Blucerchiati will head down to Serie B for the first time in 12 seasons, and this time they will find it far more difficult to immediately jump back up, as they did in 2012.

Much of the club’s struggles have been attributed to former owner Massimo Ferrero, who allowed the club’s debts to accumulate while rejecting offers from a number of interested parties. One of those parties was a consortium headed by Sampdoria legend Gianluca Vialli, who sadly passed away earlier this year.  Another was from LOSC Lille owner and head of Merlyn Partners, Alessandro Barnaba.

Earlier this week, Ferrero finally accepted an offer from Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani, in partnership with Matteo Manfredi, head of finance company Gestio Capital.  Manfredi and Radrizzani, who could sell his majority stake in Leeds United after relegation to the Championship, will have their work cut out for them.

The new owners, who may not take control of the club until September, will have to replace all of the loanees and top players that will leave the club in the summer. With a very competitive Serie B, it will be difficult for Sampdoria to avoid relegation to Serie C, let alone earn promotion back up to Serie A.

Injuries/Suspensions

Luciano Spalletti could be without both of his left backs. Mario Rui continues to recover from a right thigh injury, while Mathias Olivera suffered a blunt trauma in training on Thursday.  Mario Rui could return to the starting XI, having completed the full group training on Friday and Saturday. Meanwhile, Olivera was left out of the squad having only completed individual training on the pitch.

Hirving Lozano remains sidelined with a grade two knee sprain while Matteo Politano was left out of the squad, having only completed therapy ahead of the match. Eljif Elmas will fill the void on the right wing, returning to the squad after serving a one-match suspension due to yellow card accumulation. Finally, Kim Min-jae will not be in the squad having picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Bologna.

For Sampdoria, Dejan Stankovic, who managed two draws in his last three matches, will be without 12 players:

• Goalkeeper Emil Audero – Shoulder;
• Central defender Marios Oikonomou – Unknown;
• Central defender Bram Nuytink;
• Central defender Jeison Murillo – Unknown;
• Right back Andrea Conti – Tendon irritation;
• Defensive midfielder Harry Winks – Unknown;
• central midfielder Michaël Cuisance – Muscular problems;
• Attacking midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri – Unknown;
• Attacking midfielder Filip Djuricic – Unknown;
• Left winger Jesé Rodríguez – Unknown;
• Right winger Ignacio Pussetto – Knee surgery; and
• Striker Sam Lammers – Unknown.

Some of the vacant squad positions will be filled by Sampdoria Primavera players, including central defender Arttu Lötjönen, central midfielder Telasco Segovia, left winger Samuel Ntanda and striker Mihailo Ivanovic