Describing every game as a “final” in the run-in is a favourite trope of football managers, regardless of the position their teams find themselves in.

But when it comes to Sampdoria, the cliche is warranted. With eight games left in the Serie B season, the Blucerchiati are 16th with 32 points, just two clear of Mantova and Salernitana, who occupy the automatic relegation spots along with bottom club Cosenza.

The prospect of Sampdoria being relegated to Serie C for the first time in history may seem unthinkable, but as things stand a relegation play-off against Brescia, who are one point behind them in 17th, is all that separates the Genoese club from the abyss.

Serie B rules stipulate that relegation play-offs are not required if the gap between the 16th and 17th is bigger than three points. The logical thinking may suggest Sampdoria have enough to pull clear of Brescia, who haven’t won a game in almost two months and have scored just twice in their last six outings.

But logic doesn’t win games and, as it happens, neither do the Blucerchiati. Leonardo Semplici’s men are winless since February 8 and went into the international break on the back of four consecutive draws, against Sassuolo, Bari, Palermo and Reggiana.

There were some green shoots to be found in the unbeaten run, as Samp held the league leaders to a stalemate draw at Marassi and picked up points against two promotion contenders, before coming back from 2-0 down to rescue a point in Reggio Emilia.

And while their position remains precarious, Samp remain just three points away from 10th-placed Modena and much calmer waters.

Frosinone arrive on Saturday on the back of three consecutive wins, having looked down and out before the arrival of Paolo Bianco.

A run of one win in six games across December and January appeared to have sealed the Canaries’ fate before new boss Bianco revived their season.

He lost his first two games in charge against Sudtirol and Bari, but steadied the ship with draws against Catanzaro, Reggiana and Salernitana before three straight victories lifted Frosinone up to 13th in the table, one point clear of Sampdoria.

Wins against fellow relegation strugglers Mantova and Brescia, the latter courtesy of a stunning finish from Giorgi Kvernadze, could prove pivotal to ensuring Frosinone’s Serie B status for another season while also serving a timely reminder to Sampdoria that things can change in the blink of an eye in calcio‘s second tier.

Sampdoria’s list of absentees remains long, with goalkeeper Alessio Cragno in doubt with a hip injury, while Como loanees Alessandro Bellemo and Nikolas Ioannou are out as is Gennaro Tutino, who is expected to return next month after surgery on his ankle in January.

M’Baye Niang, meanwhile, is suspended and his absence is arguably the biggest concern for Semplici, given the Senegalese has scored three goals in nine games since joining in January.

Frosinone have revived their season but face a torrid run-in against five of the current top eight in the final six weeks of the campaign, while Sampdoria take on four promotion contenders from April onward.

There is no room for error for either team at Marassi on Saturday afternoon. Call it a final, if you like.

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