Having shocked Italy's most successful club for the second time this season, Monza seek to continue their fine start to 2023 on Monday, when they host struggling Sampdoria.
Beating crisis club Juventus in Turin marked a new high for the Biancorossi in their debut Serie A campaign, but by contrast, Samp are stuck in the drop zone following their fourth straight league loss.
Match preview
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Though toppling the 36-time Scudetto winners on home soil in Raffaele Paladino's first match in charge was a highlight of Monza's first crack at the top flight, four months later, their 2-0 win over the Old Lady last week perhaps tops the lot.
With their hosts still reeling from a huge points deduction amid off-field turmoil in Turin, Palladino's in-form side took the lead after 18 minutes through Patrick Ciurria, and Dany Mota doubled their advantage shortly before the break. Though Juventus had the best of the second half, Michele Di Gregorio made several sharp saves to keep his clean sheet intact, and Monza were able to secure a famous victory.
Just the second Serie A debutant this century to pick up at least 25 points from their first 20 matches, only Napoli, Inter, Juve and Lazio have gained more since Palladino took up the reins in September.
Now clear of danger and sitting just outside the top half of the table, the Biancorossi are unbeaten in the league this year - albeit Juventus knocked them out of the Coppa Italia - and can have realistic ambitions of a top-seven finish.
Incidentally, though, each of their seven wins since promotion have come in 'traditional' afternoon kickoffs, but in five evening fixtures Monza have taken only one point - and they have also lost both matches played on Monday.
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Beaten 3-0 at home in October's reverse fixture, Sampdoria have yet to win a league game at Marassi this season, and their overall tally stands at just two following another defeat last weekend.
A 2-0 loss to Atalanta was Samp's ninth in their last 10 outings all told, including each of their last four. With another setback on Monday night, they would rack up the club's most consecutive defeats in Serie A since 2012.
Throughout a miserable campaign the Blucerchiati have been desperately short of goals, and with just six scored on the road so far they have now failed to find the net in their last four league games.
Sitting second-bottom of the standings with more than half the season played, a total of nine points represents Sampdoria's worst start to any Serie A season, and beleaguered coach Dejan Stankovic has a huge task on his hands to turn things around.
One year after Genoa sank into Serie B, their old rivals seem bound to join them, or even worse from a Samp point of view, be passed on the way down: the Grifone are strong promotion contenders in the second tier. To avoid such a fate, Stankovic's side must surely start winning now or be cut adrift.
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Team News
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With only Stefano Sensi certainly sidelined due to suspension, and Guilio Donati a doubt through injury, Monza coach Raffaele Palladino should have an almost full squad available to him on Monday.
The 38-year-old could therefore name an unchanged team, though Samuele Birindelli will hope to return on the right flank and Andrea Petagna is in contention to lead the line up front.
A likely selection behind the lone striker, Gianluca Caprari has scored four goals against Sampdoria in Serie A to date - including his first in the top flight, back in 2012 - and made 73 appearances for them during a spell in Liguria.
After a frantic summer in the transfer market, Monza had a quiet winter window, but Samp made a number of moves in order to shake up an ailing squad.
Abdelhamid Sabiri secured a switch to Fiorentina but stays at the club on loan until June, while Ronaldo Vieira made a temporary transfer to Torino; Koray Gunter and former Bayern Munich midfielder Mickael Cuisance were among those who joined the club's relegation fight, and both could now start.
Though Harry Winks recently returned to action, Sabiri (thigh) joins Omar Colley (knee) and Filip Djuricic (muscular) on the visitors' injury list. Meanwhile, wing-back Mehdi Leris has received the most yellow cards in Serie A this season (nine), including one in each of his last four games.
Monza possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio; Izzo, Mari, Caldirola; Ciurria, Machin, Rovella, Augusto; Pessina, Caprari; Mota
Sampdoria possible starting lineup:
Audero; Gunter, Nuytinck, Amione; Leris, Rincon, Winks, Augello; Cuisance; Gabbiadini, Lammers
We say: Monza 1-1 Sampdoria
Despite having both home advantage and form on their side, Monza may be set to drop points on Monday, as Sampdoria have made some signings which will mould their team more to Dejan Stankovic's liking. The Blucerchiati still look light up front, however, so are unlikely to score more than once.
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