Free-scoring Sampdoria equal record set under Sven-Goran Eriksson

Marco Giampaolo’s Sampdoria side have undoubtedly been the surprise package in Serie A this season, having racked up 44 points already to establish themselves in sixth place, ahead of AC Milan on account of their better head-to-head record (Doria won 2-0 at home, losing 1-0 away).

One of the most impressive elements of the Blucerchiati’s game this season has been their form in front of goal, with the team hitting the back of the net 46 times so far. That stat means Samp have the fourth-most prolific attack in the league, behind Lazio on 64, Juventus on 62 and Napoli on 55. More impressive still is that no team has scored more than Samp at home: Fabio Quagliarella and Co. have scored 31 times, equal with Lazio, who are led by Serie A top scorer Ciro Immobile.

You have to go back 21 years to find the last time Sampdoria were so deadly in front of goal. Back in the 1996/97 season, Swedish boss Sven-Goran Eriksson’s team contained legends of the likes of Roberto Mancini, Vincenzo Montella, Sinisa Mihajlovic, Juan Sebastian Veron and Christian Karambeu. Mancini and Montella both chipped in with 13 goals apiece, which is some way behind Quagliarella’s current tally of 17. Duvan Zapata is the club’s second-highest league goalscorer this season, with eight goals.

At the end of the 1996/97 season, Montella finished as Doria’s top scorer on 22 goals, with Samp ending up in sixth place on 53 points – enough to secure European football the following season.

Let’s hope it’s a good omen!