Another strikingly similar season for Sampdoria under Marco Giampaolo where they have finished one place higher in 9th but with slightly lower points tally. A campaign which promised and delivered a lot has ultimately ended with mid-table mediocrity.
The story of Samp's season has revolved mainly around one man - the ageless Fabio Quagilarella. The veteran has produced his most prolific ever campaign with 26 Serie A goals at the age of 36 - taking home the title of Capocannoniere whilst equalling Gabriel Batistuta's record of scoring in 11 consecutive Serie A matches. His stunning form even got him a recall to the national side.
At the other end of the pitch, Emil Audero proved to be mostly an excellent replacement for Emiliano Viviano in goal - despite some shaky performances towards the end of the season. The likes of Dennis Praet and Karol Linetty stepped up after the departure of Lucas Torreira from the midfield.
With talent all over the pitch, it seemed The Blucerchiati were leading candidates for Europa League qualification but another drastic late season drop in form cost them. It's becoming a bit like Groundhog Day for Giampaolo and he has even publicly admitted that he could leave the club due to his unwillingness to accept mediocrity. Within that statement is a call to the owners to invest more in the squad which may give them something extra in the latter part of their seasons.
