UC Sampdoria on Monday slid into Italy’s Serie B as they lost 2-0 away to Udinese, while Empoli held their nerve to beat US Salernitana 1919 2-1 to pull away from the relegation zone.
Sampdoria are last in Serie A on just 17 points, 13 from safety with four games left.
Roberto Pereyra put the hosts ahead after nine minutes, running onto a pass by Festy Ebosele and clipping the ball over the diving Nicola Ravaglia.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Adam Masina scored the second with a header after 34 minutes.
“I feel enormous disappointment and sadness. We tried and we gave everything we had,” Sampdoria manager Dejan Stankovic told DAZN. “I know that every fan does not want to accept this day, but we fought on the field and they were by our side always. This club deserves more, because it is beautiful inside and out.”
Marco Giampaolo was sacked as manager at the start of October last year following a disappointing run of two points from their first eight games and the team’s fortunes failed to improve following Stankovic’s appointment.
“I tried my best and it was not enough. I am very disappointed and cannot find the words for how I feel right now,” he said.
Things could get worse for the Genoese club as they face possible further relegations because of financial problems. The club has struggled to pay its bills and only avoided a points deduction by convincing the players to give up December last year’s salaries.
Massimo Ferrero, who had to resign the presidency in December 2021 after being arrested in a case of fraudulent bankruptcy, but remained the club owner, might be ready to sell, Italian media have reported.
Sampdoria’s local rivals Genoa secured promotion back to Serie A on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Empoli pulled 11 points clear of danger and leapfrogged the team they beat.
Nicolo Cambiaghi put them ahead with a diving header after 37 minutes. Francesco Caputo added a second in the 63rd minute. Finding himself alone in front of goal following a corner, he stepped round goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa and smacked the ball into the empty net.
Substitute Krzysztof Piatek pounced on a rebound in the 86th minute to give the visitors hope, but the nearest either team came to scoring in the dying minutes was a ferocious strike by Empoli’s Marco Pjaca, disallowed after a video assistant referee review because teammate Razvan Marin was offside.
In the late match, US Sassuolo were held to a 1-1 draw by Bologna.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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