The Downfall of UC Sampdoria

Sampdoria are a historic team in Italian football, having won the Serie A title, multiple Coppa Italias and a Cup Winners’ Cup, but recently things have changed, and now they find themselves on the verge of the third tier. How is that possible? Let’s find out.

Sampdoria’s Success

First let’s take a look at the highs of this great club. After investment in 1979, Sampdoria would find some success, winning their first major trophy, the Coppa Italia, in 1985 (followed by three more in the next ten years) which propelled them into continental football, where at their second attempt they won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1990, beating Anderlecht in the final. Just one year later, I Blucerchiati would win the Scudetto, commonly known as the Serie A league title, in 1991. Their last real shot of success came in 1992 when they reached the European Cup final, losing the final 1-0 to Barcelona in extra time.

The post-Paolo Mantovani era

In late 1993, Sampdoria owner Paolo Manotovani passed away, and the club was handed over to his son, Enrico. The team would change somewhat, with many of Paolo’s mainstays leaving, but for a while the club was still stable, winning the last of their four Coppa Italia titles in this period and remaining in the top tier. In 1999 however, Sampdoria were relegated to Serie B and wouldn’t return to Serie A until 2003. During this time, ownership would change with Riccardo Garrone, an Italian oil businessman, taking over. La Samp would then have a steady mid-to-late 2000s.

Another change in ownership

2014 would see another shift in power at Sampdoria, and once again due to a death, as Garrone passed away the previous year. The club was taken over by film producer Massimo Ferrero, and despite failing to obtain a UEFA license to compete in the Europa League, Sampdoria would build a solid foundation in Serie A throughout the mid-2010s, with the help of talisman Fabio Quagliarella. Tensions start to show though, as it became public knowledge that owner Ferrero supported AS Roma, and as a result of supporter pressure Ferrero would try, and on many occasions fail, to sell the club, and in 2021, Ferrero was arrested as part of ongoing investigations into corporate crimes and bankruptcy. Ferrero resigned with immediate effect.

A new era, but nothing seems to be working

In the few years following the Ferrero drama, the club would fall apart, with multiple managers coming and going under temporary ownership, and the team finding themselves struggling towards the bottom of Serie A, before being relegated in the 2022/23 season. Not long after their relegation was confirmed, new ownership would arrive, with former Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani taking control of the club and preventing the club from going into bankruptcy. Radrizzani would then appoint legendary midfielder Andrea Pirlo as manager, but he could not find success in the dugout, and was briefly booted out. Sampdoria would finish 7th in Serie B last season, but this season has been so much worse.

The current situation

Sampdoria currently find themselves 16th in Serie B, taking up one of two relegation play-off spots. Despite this, they are only three points away from 10th placed Modena, so a little bit of form could see them avoid any relegation drama, but there is no guarantee. They haven’t won a league match since the start of February, and seem to be struggling for goals in most matches they play. Whilst this season may not prove costly for Sampdoria, you have to wonder what the future holds for this historic club.