Sampdoria was relegated from Serie A after it lost 2-1 at home to Palermo yesterday and is now out of Italy’s top flight for the first time since 2003.

The Genoa-based team needed a win to survive until the final round of matches, but the loss combined with Lecce’s 2-0 victory over Bari means Sampdoria is four points behind Lecce.

Bari and Brescia were already relegated.

Sampdoria forward Nicola Pozzi found the net in the 30th minute but the strike was ruled out for offside, and Palermo captain Fabio Miccoli took advantage of the let off by giving Palermo the lead in first half injury time.

Jonathan Biabiany gave Sampdoria some hope early in the second half, but Mauricio Pinilla scored the winner four minutes from time.

“We had a good game today,” Sampdoria president Riccardo Garrone said. “We can’t just look at this one game or one single moment and I don’t want to blame any one player.”

Lecce needed two moments of magic from Jeda in the second half to ensure its place in Serie A. First he was left unmarked to head home a corner. Then his goalbound shot was inadvertantly turned in by Bari’s Andrea Masiello.

For Sampdoria, relegation marks a complete turnaround in fortunes after it began the season in the Champions League and was looking forward to celebrating the 20th anniversary of its only Serie A title.

Miccoli gave Palermo the lead when he took one touch to control Josip Ilicic’s flick on and shot low into the far corner of the goal.

After the break Sampdoria came out with renewed vigor and Zsolt Laczko fired a freekick over the bar. Two minutes later Biabiany brought Sampdoria level when he rose above Palermo goalkeeper Francesco Benussi to head in from close range.

As the match continued though, it was Palermo who appeared the most likely to find the winner and Abel Hernandez and Matias Munoz both came close with chances.

Eventually Pinilla sealed Sampdoria’s fate when he counter attacked from deep, exchanged passes with Hernandez and fired a shot past Sampdoria goalkeeper Angelo Da Costa.

Roma’s hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League came to an end with a 2-1 loss away to Catania.

Simone Loria gave Roma an early lead, but Gonzalo Bergessio equalised with 12 minutes to go and Alejandro Gomez then hit an injury time winner.

“We didn’t miss out on the Champions League because of this game with Catania,” Roma coach Vincenzo Montella said. “We knew it would be difficult here. The fans here really don’t like Roma and we knew the Catania players would really be giving their all.”

In the late match Inter and Napoli shared the points in a 1-1 draw in Naples securing second and third place respectively.

Also yesterday, it was; Fiorentina 1, Bologna 1; Cesena 1, Brescia 0; Chievo Verona 0, Udinese 2; Parma 1, Juventus 0.