Sampdoria vs SPAL: Blucerchiati to claim slim home win

An early season mid-table battle in the Serie A will see Sampdoria take on SPAL at the Stadio Communale Luigi Ferraris. Both teams have made decent starts to the season but the hosts are usually solid at home and should do enough to claim the victory on Monday.

Blucerchiati were held to a goalless draw away at struggling Cagliari in their last Serie A match on Wednesday. It was a solid performance from Marco Giampaolo's men as they created plenty of chances but were wasteful in front of goal.

Sampdoria have been slightly inconsistent this season but can count a 3-0 victory over title challengers Napoli as a high point of their season so far. Giampaolo favours an offensive style and his forward players appear to be enjoying the manager's system. 

Gregoire Defrel and Fabio Quagliarella have combined for six goals this season while Gianluca Caprari and Dawid Kownacki have also found the net. Quagliarella scored twice against SPAL last season and will be looking to improve on that tally on Monday.

The White-blues were disappointing in their last league match as they were beaten at home by high flying Sassuolo. They held their own for much of the contest before a couple of momentary lapses at the back saw them suffer a 2-0 defeat.

Despite the loss on Thursday, SPAL are still one of the more impressive clubs in the Serie A this season having claimed three wins from six matches. Manager Leonardo Semplici favours a defensive style of play which has seen his team keep clean sheets in all their victories this term.

Central defenders Francesco Vicari, Felipe and Lorenco Simic have been pivotal to SPAL's defensive solidity and all three men are expected to start on Monday. However, they have conceded five goals in the last two matches and could be breached by the rampant hosts.

There have been only two previous matches between Sampdoria and SPAL with both clashes coming last season. Both teams won their home fixture with Quagliarella's brace earning the hosts a 2-0 victory at the Stadio Communale Luigi Ferraris.

Sampdoria have adopted an attacking style of play and the trio of Defrel, Caprari and Quagliarella will be confident of getting past the likes of Vicari and Simic in the SPAL defence. Quagliarella could be the one to watch for the hosts having scored two goals already this season and also netting twice in his only previous appearance against the visitors.

SPAL are usually tight at the back but their last two matches have shown they can be breached. The trio of Simic, Felipe and Vicari could find it hard shutting out Defrel, Quagliarella and Caprari who have all combined for eight goals for Sampdoria this season.

SPAL's defensive system means this could be a tight contest as they will look to stifle Sampdoria. However, the hosts are still expected to create a few chances and should have the quality to secure a slim win.

Best Bet: Under 2.5 goals @ 1.80

Value Bet: Sampdoria Win to Nil @ 3.00

Correct Score Bet: Sampdoria Win 1-0 @ 7.10