Sampdoria must beat Salernitana to avoid 1st season in Serie C

Sampdoria will have a chance to avoid their first ever relegation to Italy's third division after a play-off with Salernitana was confirmed by Serie B.

The former Italian champions fell to a historic low last month when a goalless draw at Juve Stabia on the final day of the regular season led to an 18th-placed finish in the 20-team division.

The bottom three in Serie B are directly relegated to the third tier, while the teams in 16th and 17th place face off in a two-legged play-off.

But Brescia dropped down to 18th after being deducted eight points for accounting and administrative infractions, four of which were applied to this past season and the remaining points to their next league campaign.

Brescia did not appeal the ruling and are set to go out of existence after 114 years following owner Massimo Cellino's decision not to honour a debt of three million euros ($3.4 million).

Cellino had until Friday to pay part of Brescia's eight million euros in tax arrears and other overdue tax, and failure to do so has resulted in the club losing the right to take part in the Italian league system.

That has given Sampdoria a lifeline, with a showdown with Salernitana deciding the final team to be relegated to Serie C alongside Brescia, Cittadella and Cosenza.

One of seven Italian clubs who have played all their football in the top two divisions, Sampdoria will host Salernitana on Sunday, with the second leg in Salerno in southern Italy the following Friday.

Sampdoria were relegated to Serie B in 2023 and close to going bust before being saved by current president Matteo Manfredi and former Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani, who has since exited the club.

The club's majority shareholder is Singaporean businessman Joseph Tey.

Club icons Alberico Evani and Attilio Lombardo were hired as coaches in April in an attempt to save Sampdoria from the drop after significant transfer market activity both last summer and in January.

Evani is Sampdoria's fourth head coach of the season after Andrea Pirlo, Andrea Sottil and Leonardo Semplice.