Sampdoria in relegation reprieve after bombshell Serie B twist hands former Scudetto winners a lifeline
Sampdoria were relegated to Italy's third tier for the first time in 79 years earlier this week - but that could be about to change
Former Serie A powerhouses Sampdoria suffered the ignominy of becoming one of the few former Scudetto winners to drop to Italy's third tier when they were relegated from Serie B earlier this week.
But in a a bombshell development that can be considered quite normal in Italian football, the Genoese club are now set to be handed the chance to retain their status in the second division.
After a dismal campaign which saw them win just eight of their 38 league matches, I Blucerchiati were sent down to Serie C for the first time in 79 years - despite the return of club legends Alberico Evani and Attilo Lombardo in the coaching department to try to spark a late revival.
Sampdoria famously won the Serie A title back in 1991 with a side that boasted world class talents including ex Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini, the late Gianluca Vialli and future Dundee player/manager Ivano Bonetti, reaching the final of the European Cup in the following season where they lost out to Barcelona.
But the club has been on the decline in recent years and were relegated back to Serie B at the end of the 2022/23 season after 11 years in the top-flight. And while their misery was poised to continue, problems elsewhere in the league are set to give them a lifeline to avoid a second relegation in three seasons.
Sampdoria finished the season in 18th place on 41 points - with the bottom three sides in the 20-team league automatically going down - just below Frosinone and Salernitana in 16th and 17th position respectively, with those two teams facing off in a two-legged relegation-play off to determine who stays in the division.
But it has now been all but confirmed that 15th place Brescia - who finished the season on 43 points will be hit with a four point deduction for unpaid player wages that will see them drop below Sampdoria and be relegated to the third tier.
In turn, that will mean that Frosinone will be guaranteed safety by moving up to 15th position, leaving Salertinana and Samp to battle it out to retain their Serie B status.
The news will be welcomed by some Italian football fans in the UK, who grew up watching Sampdoria on Channel 4's weekly show Football Italia, which ran from 1992 to 2004.
The popular programme - which was hosted by James Richardson - attracted more than three million viewers in its pomp.
As well as showing the highlights from each game, also included interviews and famous skits from some of the biggest names in Serie A at the time, such as Paul Gascoigne, Roberto Baggio and Paul Ince.
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