Sampdoria

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Lore & Background

Sampdoria was formed in 1946 from the merger of two clubs whose roots trace back to the 1890s: Società Ginnastica Sampierdarenese (founded 1891, football section opened 1899) and Società Andrea Doria (founded 1895). The two clubs had previously merged in 1927 under the name La Dominante, wearing green and black striped shirts, but reverted to separate identities in 1931. After World War II, both clubs were competing in Serie A, and on 12 August 1946, a merger created Unione Calcio Sampdoria. The first chairman was Piero Sanguineti, soon replaced by Amedeo Rissotto, with Giuseppe Galluzzi as the first head coach. The new kit combined Andrea Doria's blue shirts with Sampierdarenese's white, red and black midsection. In the same month, the club demanded and secured an agreement to share the Stadio Luigi Ferraris with Genoa.

In Their Own Story

The club's golden era arrived under oil businessman Paolo Mantovani, who acquired Sampdoria in 1979 while they were playing in Serie B. After returning to Serie A in 1982, Sampdoria won their first Coppa Italia in 1985. In 1986, Yugoslav Vujadin Boškov was appointed head coach. The club won a second Coppa Italia in 1988, reached the 1988–89 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final (losing 2–0 to Barcelona), then won a third consecutive Coppa Italia in 1989. The 1989–90 season brought their biggest European success: winning the Cup Winners' Cup by defeating Anderlecht after extra time in the final. This was followed by their first and only Scudetto in 1991, finishing five points ahead of second-placed Internazionale. The winning team featured Gianluca Pagliuca, Gianluca Vialli, Roberto Mancini, Toninho Cerezo, Pietro Vierchowod and Attilio Lombardo. In 1992, Sampdoria reached the European Cup final at Wembley Stadium, losing 1–0 to Barcelona after extra time. Boškov is recognised as one of Sampdoria's most successful managers. After Paolo Mantovani's death on 14 October 1993, his son Enrico took over, and the club won a fourth Coppa Italia in 1994. In April 1995, Sampdoria reached the Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals, losing to Arsenal on penalties. The club was relegated from Serie A in May 1999 and did not return until 2003 under new owner Riccardo Garrone, an Italian oil businessman. Led by Francesco Flachi, they finished eighth in their first season back. Under manager Walter Mazzarri, with signings Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini in January 2008, Sampdoria finished sixth in 2007–08 and qualified for the UEFA Cup. The following season, they finished fourth and qualified for the UEFA Champions League.

Did You Know?

• Sampdoria's name is a combination of Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria, and their kit combines the blue of Andrea Doria with the white, red and black bands of Sampierdarenese.
• The club's only Scudetto came in 1991, when they finished five points ahead of second-placed Internazionale.
• Sampdoria won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1990, defeating Anderlecht after extra time in the final.
• The club reached the European Cup final in 1992, losing 1–0 to Barcelona after extra time at Wembley Stadium.
• Sampdoria share the Stadio Luigi Ferraris with Genoa CFC, and their rivalry is called the Derby della Lanterna.