There won’t be a more atmospheric game in Serie B this weekend than Salernitana against Palermo.

The Salerno side welcome the Rosanero to the Stadio Arechi on Sunday and there promises to be a hostile reception for the travellers.

Salernitana have been on a bad run – one win in their last six games has left them clinging on to their hopes of avoiding relegation.

The 1-0 victory against Modena on March 8 was their first since beating Cremonese on February 2. In truth, Roberto Breda has a squad too good to go down, but things do not always play out the way they are expected to.

Points have to be earned on the pitch, and at the moment the Granata are struggling. 

Breda is their third manager of the season, and the former Sampdoria, Parma and Genoa midfielder, who also played for Salernitana for six years, has registered the same tally of victories as his predecessors, Giovanni Martusciello and Stefano Colantuono, combined.

“We have to think only about winning, we have four home games that are fundamental,” said goalkeeper Oliver Christensen. “The first one to win is Sunday. 

“It’ll obviously be a difficult and beautiful game to play, against a strong opponent, but I’m focused and confident.”

Palermo arrive on the back of fluctuating form. Alessio Dionisi is under increasing pressure as his side continue to show the maddening inconsistency that has blighted their season.

No game highlights that more than the 3-2 defeat by Cremonese before the international break.

Thanks to goals from Claudio Gomes and Matteo Brunori, the home side were 2-0 up and cruising. Then came the spectacular collapse.

Paolo Azzi, Mattia Valoti and a late, late winner from Michele Collocolo earned a remarkable victory for the promotion hopefuls, and enraged the home support at the Stadio Renzo Barbera.

Speculation has mounted in recent days that the club could look to Fabio Pecchia, recently sacked by Parma, as a potential replacement for Dionisi in the summer, should promotion not be achieved this season.

The manner of the defeat by Cremonese certainly didn’t help Dionisi’s cause, with the consensus being that the former Sassuolo boss is underperforming considering the level of talent at his disposal and the recent spend in the January transfer market.

Joel Pohjanpalo has certainly given them a sharper edge in attack. Signed from Venezia, the Finnish striker has scored four in six games, but the defence is more of a worry for Dionisi.

Palermo continue to hover just outside the promotion play-off places and with eight games remaining in the season, Dionisi will be hoping for his side to show some consistency in the final stretch.

A couple of wins, combined with losses to some of the chasing pack, could cement the Rosanero in the middle of the play-offs. 

Salernitana need the points in order to have any hope of survival, so the stage is set for a cracking encounter at the Arechi. 

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