Sampdoria vs Genoa predictions, betting tips & match preview

Sampdoria have failed to win in their last six games, they’re aiming to end that poor run when they host Genoa this weekend. Their last victory came all the way back in August, which leaves them just two points above the relegation zone. Can they move away from danger with a result here? They haven’t beaten Genoa here since 2012.

Genoa are stuck in mid-table, having lost just once this season. However, they’ve only won three times in their seven fixtures. It’s not a bad record, but they need to do a little more to push for a European spot. They’ve won just once in their last five in Serie A, so they’re desperate for a victory here too.

One thing to keep an eye on here is their poor record when it comes to cards. These two are very aggressive on the pitch, and that leaves them in trouble with the referee. Genoa commit 19 fouls per game on the road, while Sampdoria make 15 fouls per game. Their players see a card after 19% of the fouls they make, while Sampdoria pick one up from 17%.

Their recent meetings have seen plenty of cards, in the last six meetings they’ve picked up 41 cards between them. Sampdoria’s last six games have seen five reds, while Genoa’s last five games have seen a huge seven reds. With that in mind, it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on the card markets during this game.

While they are prolific when it comes to cards, neither side are that great in front of goal. Sampdoria have scored a goal a game so far, their games this season have averaged two goals. Genoa have scored 1.4 goals per game, but 75% of their goals were scored in their first two games. They’ve scored twice in their last five. They’re strong defensively, conceding 0.71 goals per game.

That’s obviously led to some low scoring goals for these sides. So far, 62% of Sampdoria’s games have been under 2.5 goals. As for Genoa, 71% of their games have seen two goals or less. Both teams are converting less than 10% of their chances, with Sampdoria scoring from just 6% of their shots. With neither side impressive in front of goal, we see this being a low scoring game. Under 2.5 goals is our tip here, at 8/11 with bet365.