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AS Roma, a club with nine Italian Cup titles, has not won the competition since 2008 and has not reached a final in over a decade. However, the team is aiming for a fresh start in this year’s tournament, following an impressive run of form. Roma recently secured a 4-1 home win against Lecce, followed by a 3-0 victory over Braga in the Europa League. Last weekend, they continued their strong performances with a 3-0 win over Calcio Como, marking three consecutive victories across all competitions.
In contrast, Sampdoria has been struggling, failing to win any of their last six league matches. Their recent losses include a 1-0 defeat to Brescia, a 3-0 loss to Pisa, and a heavy 5-1 defeat to Sassuolo. They hoped to bounce back with a home match against Spezia last weekend but continue to face difficulties.
Sampdoria has a rich history, having won the Italian Cup four times (1985, 1988, 1989, and 1994). Under the guidance of coach Claudio Ranieri, the team will be without key player Cristante due to injury. However, Ranieri still has a solid squad, with players like French midfielder Le Fée and Spanish defenders Angelino and Hermoso returning from suspension. Ukrainian forward Dovbyk, who impressed last season with Girona, and Paulo Dybala, often used as a substitute this season, will also be available. Central defender Alex Ferrari, who has played in the last three league matches, is doubtful after picking up an injury against Sassuolo.
In addition to these absences, Sampdoria will also be without injured players Bereszynski, Romagnoli, and Ronaldo Vieira. On the attacking front, Coda and Tutino, who have been key contributors in Serie B, will play an important role for Sampdoria in this match.
Prediction
Looking at recent trends, Roma’s last ten Coppa Italia home matches have typically featured no more than three goals. Sampdoria’s away games have followed a similar pattern, with eight of their last nine matches in the competition also seeing fewer than three goals.
Prediction: AS Roma 1-1 Sampdoria.
