And so it comes down to this. 270 days, 37 games and four head coaches later, a season that was supposed to bring with it a shot at a return to the big time ends with Sampdoria clinging on for dear life a the foot of Serie B.

It has been a campaign to forget for the Blucerchiati, with all enthusiasm of starting it off with Andrea Pirlo at the helm swiftly washed away by struggles on the pitch, despite plenty of fresh faces on both sides of the white line.

There have been false dawns and broken promises of renewed ambition, most notably after January when a swathe of new signings brought with them seven points in three matches, only for that to be followed up by seven winless outings, sending them straight back into the scrap to avoid the trap door to Serie C.

A much-needed shot in the arm came on Friday with a 1-0 win over fellow strugglers Salernitana, a victory that ensured the ability to stave off immediate demotion remains in their own hands, albeit with a relegation play-out fixture still looming large.

While there is hope, there is also fear – fear of sending this great calcio insitution to its lowest moment in its history. However, head coach Alberico Evani has called on his players to harness that feeling ahead of what is undoubtedly the club’s biggest match for some time.

“I believe that fear must exist,” he told reporters after their win over Salernitana. “Only the unconscious are not afraid. The important thing is to direct it in the right way.

“There are those fears that block you, then there are those fears that put you in a position to be afraid of the opponent but put you in a position to overcome it.”

As for Juve Stabia, they can look to this game with no concerns whatsoever. Had any betting man been shown the current table at the beginning of the season, he’d have been forgiven for thinking these two had been erroneously switched, with the newly-promoted Stabians safely secured in the play-off places.

Guido Pagliuca’s fifth-placed side are guaranteed a play-off spot and need a point to make sure of a home tie in the elimination round (fifth and sixth enjoy home advantage). The only thing that will be of concern is ensuring they take some form into those crucial fixtures.

One win in their last five, including disappointing results against relegation-threatened Reggiana and Brescia, suggest this is a team toiling towards the end of a campaign that has seen them exceed all expectations.

How Sampdoria can only hope they are prepared to deliver another favour to a side at the wrong end of the table.

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