Youthful Sampdoria trying to turn 'sci-fi' Champions League fantasy into reality
Marco Giampaolo is playing down talk of special season for a Sampdoria side flying high with a dynamic midfield trio of young 20-somethings at its heartDon’t call it fake news. If you ask the Sampdoria manager Marco Giampaolo, the idea that his team might compete for a Champions League spot this season is more like “science-fiction”. That was the term he used on Saturday night, after guiding his team to victory in the Derby della Lanterna. Why would we moot such a possibility? A 2-0 win only kept them in sixth place – five points outside the top four. It was not a surprising result on its own terms; Genoa started and finished the day in the relegation zone. The...