Saturday 13 December 2014 16:11, UK
Sampdoria owner Massimo Ferrero believes he has in his employment the secret weapon that will shoot down Serie A leaders Juventus on Sunday.
Encounters between the two clubs in Turin have been topsy-turvy affairs in recent years - the last four clashes have witnessed 21 goals and a rare away win for Samp, in January 2013.
The Bianconeri have embraced that unpredictability as it has done little to damage their run to three straight league titles, but this time around the fixture is fraught with danger for the champions.
Samp are themselves pushing for a top-three finish and an away victory could open the door for second-placed Roma to draw level with Juve should they go on to beat Genoa this weekend.
And with dynamic Serbian tactician Sinisa Mihajlovic leading Samp's current push for glory, their colourful president Ferrero has warned Juve they could be set to endure a frustrating afternoon.
When asked if beating the Scudetto holders in their own backyard was a bridge too far for the Genoa club, the 63-year-old film producer told La Repubblica Sport: "We'll see. Don't forget we have Sinisa.
"He brings courage and a fierce will to win to the team. If the players express themselves in the way he wants them to, with all the talent they have, then they can disappoint everyone, not just Juve.
"Sinisa has dragged the talent out of all of them and has given courage to those who lacked it. Now they are not afraid of anyone.
"But I think most of all they've been infected by me, their president, because I want to win all the time too."
Defender Lorenzo De Silvestri is suspended for the trip north while Matias Silvestre, Gianluca Sansone and Pawel Wszolek are absent due to injury.
Left-back Giorgio Chiellini is banned for Juve, who have further cause for concern in defence given Andrea Barzagli, Martin Caceres and Kwadwo Asamoah are all on the treatment table.
A goalless draw with Atletico Madrid in Turin was enough to steer Massimiliano Allegri's men into the last 16 of the Champions League this week but Swiss right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner insists his colleagues' focus immediately switched back to working out how to resist plucky Samp.
"We have to concentrate and stay on red alert," he told juventus.com. "It will be a very tough game.
"Samp are a very good side with a very good coach, who I really like.
"For us it's much easier to play against sides who come flying at you rather than cautious ones who spend their time closing you down, like Samp."
