Preview: Crotone vs. Sampdoria - prediction, team news, lineups

Crotone play host to Sampdoria on Wednesday evening knowing that their relegation from Serie A could be confirmed if they suffer a sixth successive defeat.

Meanwhile, Sampdoria make the trip to Stadio Ezio Scida still possessing ambitions of ending the season in eighth position in the table.

Match preview

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Crotone have been involved in some of the most exciting fixtures in recent weeks, with a remarkable 37 goals coming in their last seven matches.

However, while they will have a few more admirers among the neutrals, Crotone are now on the brink of a return to Serie B after six defeats during that period.

The latest of those setbacks came at home to Udinese at the weekend, the 2-1 reverse leaving Serse Cosmi's team 15 points of safety with seven games remaining.

Realistically, I Pitagorici will have already accepted their fate, but Simy continues to score at a rate which will surely earn him a move to a bigger club in the summer.

Although the Nigerian has scored four penalties since the start of March, the 28-year-old has netted a total of 10 strikes from just seven outings.

As far as opponents Sampdoria are concerned, they are attempting to at least equal their best finish over the past six seasons.

While overturning a seven-point deficit to eighth-placed Sassuolo may be unrealistic at this stage, Claudio Ranieri will expect his team to move ahead of out-of-form Hellas Verona over the coming weeks and claim ninth spot.

Sampdoria produced a second-half comeback to overcome the same team on Saturday, improving their recent return to seven points from four games.

With Sassuolo to follow at the weekend, everyone associated with I Blucerchiati will recognise the importance of making it 10 points from five, also ensuring that they do not get dragged into the bottom half of the standings.

Team News

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Sampdoria trio Keita Balde, Manolo Gabbiadini and Antonio Candreva could all be recalled by Ranieri after they made an impact as substitutes against Verona.

That could leave Fabio Quagliarella having to make do with a spot among the replacements, but Lorenzo Tonelli is in line to come into the side for the suspended Maya Yoshida.

Youngster Luis Rojas is in contention for this contest having impressed on his sixth substitute outing for Crotone at the weekend.

Emmanuel Riviere could replace Adam Ounas in the final third, while midfielder Nicolas Zanellato is also an option for Cosmi as he looks for a winning formula.

Crotone possible starting lineup:

Cordaz; Djidji, Golemic, Cuomo; Pereira, Messias, Molina, Rojas, Reca; Riviere, Simy

Sampdoria possible starting lineup:

Audero; Bereszynski, Tonelli, Colley, Augello; Jankto, Thorsby, Silva, Candreva; Balde, Gabbiadini

We say: Crotone 1-2 Sampdoria

Given the amount of goals which have been netted in Crotone's recent fixtures, it is difficult to predict the exact scoreline.

Nevertheless, the home side have made a habit of losing by one-goal margins, something we believe will continue on Wednesday.