Sampdoria are looking to pull away from the relegation zone when they host Torino in Serie A on Saturday.
The Blucerchiati go in search of their first win in five league matches, having followed up a pair of 1-1 draws against Venezia and Roma with narrow defeats to Cagliari and Napoli. La Samp head into the weekend just four points clear of the drop zone, after winning only one of their last seven matches in the league. Tomas Rincon is expected to start against his former club, while starting goalkeeper Emil Audero is injured.
Torino, on the other hand, have only lost one of their last six in Serie A, going down 1-0 to league leaders Inter just before Christmas. The Granata have won the other three of their four most recent league games, thrashing Fiorentina 4-0 on Monday to move within four points of the European places. Marko Pjaca has recovered from an injury and will start if Dennis Praet won’t recover from an ankle problem.
Form Guide: Sampdoria (L L D D W) Torino (W L W W D)
Stat fact: Torino have only won one of their last six matches against Sampdoria, who avenged a 3-0 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino in October with a 2-1 Coppa Italia victory over Il Toro the week before Christmas.
Probable line-ups
Sampdoria (4-4-2): Falcone; Bereszynski, Dragusin, Ferrari, Augello; Candreva, Ekdal, Rincon, Thorsby; Gabbiadini, Caputo.
Suspended: Chabot.
Injured: Audero, Yoshida, Augelio, Verre, Colley (AFCON).
On a yellow card: Bereszynski.
Torino (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Djidji, Bremer, Rodríguez; Singo, Lukic, Pobega, Vojvoda; Pjaca, Brekalo; Sanabria
Suspended: None.
Injured: Praet, Belotti, Ansaldi, Aina (AFCON).
On a yellow card: Buongiorno, Aina.