AS Roma vs Sampdoria prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2023-04-01 16:00.
Coach José Mourinho reminded his Roma side that all is not lost in their quest for a Champions League spot after their 1-0 defeat against Lazio in the Derby della Capitale prior to the international break. Roma entered the break just one point adrift of the Serie A (SA) top-four, but they must get their discipline in check as the Lazio game marked a second consecutive SA match in which they were reduced to ten men during the first half (L2).
Mourinho now returns to the dugout after his two-match touchline ban, though that didn’t prevent the revered Portuguese boss from clashing with Lazio’s president Claudio Lotito in front of the dressing room. With the derby verbals out the way, his focus quickly switches back to aiming to replicate Roma’s recent run of five consecutive home clean-sheet victories, which was interrupted by their latest home 4-3 defeat to Sassuolo, a game in which Mourinho wasn’t on the touchline.
A Manolo Gabbiadini inspired 3-1 victory over Hellas Verona gave Sampdoria a glimmer of hope in their desperate bid for safety, although the fact they start this round nine points behind 17th place would indicate time is fast running out in their survival quest. Worryingly, that was only their second competitive victory in 2023 (D3, L8), while two of their three SA wins this season have arrived against fellow-bottom three sides.
That doesn’t leave much hope for the travelling fans, who have seen their team lose each of their three away league matches against current top-six sides without finding the net, a plight they’ve also suffered in four of the last eight H2Hs (W1, D2, L5).
Players to watch: After grabbing an assist for Italy against England during the international break, Lorenzo Pellegrini will be looking to get back on the goal trail here and he netted Roma’s winner in the 1-0 reverse fixture. Sampdoria’s hero from the last round, Gabbiadini is also their last player to score against Roma after salvaging his team a point here last term (1-1).
Hot stat: Roma have scored 15 of their 35 league goals beyond the 60th minute.