As top mediocre decent-but-not-quite-decent-enough clubs of Europe gathered to play UEFA Cup’s Round of 32 Wednesday night, Sampdoria vs. Metalist Kharkiv stood out like the a bad note during a melodious symphony.
For a team who had not lost at home for 12 consecutive European games and who eliminated clubs like FC Sevilla to get to this stage of the competition, the Blucerchiati sure dropped from very high up today. In a performance almost diametrically opposed to the one in Turin, Cassano & friends played an uninspired game, with no energy or verve. Even the two doubtful penalty non-calls in the second half (foul on Bellucci and handball in the box) aren’t enough to justify a lacklaster performance, and it will take Mazzarri some serious work next Thursday (February 26) to overturn a 1-0 deficit no pundit would have expected prior to this match.
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