Chievo vs Sampdoria preview - Corini eyes glory days

Posted Saturday, October 06, 2012 by PA

Eugenio Corini admits it may be a case of rolling back the years against Sampdoria as he takes charge of Chievo for the first time.

Part of the famous Flying Donkeys team that took Serie A by storm at the turn of the century, Corini is now the man charged with restoring Chievo to their former glory after Domenico Di Carlo was dismissed this week.

Corini spent five years as a midfielder at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi and was a key figure during Chievo's maiden top-flight campaign, in which they surprised everybody to finish fifth and qualify for the UEFA Cup in 2002.

But the Verona outfit are now on the slide and languishing at the wrong end of the table following five straight defeats, leaving Corini desperate to resurrect the `Miracle Chievo' side of 10 years ago.

At his unveiling on Lake Garda, he said: "I feel ready to take on this great opportunity. I will bring my knowledge, enthusiasm and motivation to the team.

"They were the qualities I remember from `my' Chievo, the one that reached Serie A for the first time in 2001.

"I'm lucky to have worked under `masters' like Gigi Del Neri and Francesco Guidolin, so I'll try to apply what they've taught me in the best possible way.

"The next matches will be key to reinvigorating my team. They need to restore pride in the shirt and prove to me that this Chievo is capable of changing.

"But before I can change anything I have to see them in action, and then decide how to shape them."

Flying Donkeys captain Sergio Pellissier has undergone surgery to remove kidney stones and is unlikely to feature.

Surprise package Sampdoria are still flying high despite suffering their first defeat of the season to Napoli last weekend.

But midfielder Nenad Krsticic insists Ciro Ferrara and his players have already shrugged off the losers' blues.

"The feeling in the dressing room is great and the group is as solid as ever," the Serbian told the Blucerchiati's official Facebook page.

"If at the beginning of my time here someone had told me that we would be promoted and I would have played so much football, I would not have believed them."

Injured Samp trio Nicola Pozzi, Andrea Poli and Eder are unlikely to recover in time to face Chievo.