Massimo Ferrero, former president and current majority shareholder of Sampdoria, opened up about the constant threats he’s been sent in recent years.
Things have started to grow increasingly toxic in the Blucerchiati environment recently, with the club looking to find new owners after eight years under Ferrero. The Italian businessman stepped down a club president in December 2021 after being arrested for allegations unrelated to the Ligurian side.
La Gazzetta dello Sport recently reported that Ferrero was only willing to sell Sampdoria should he personally benefit from the deal. The Blucerchiati have started to spiral this season and currently sit 19th in the Serie A table with debts of over €150m, owing wages to their players and staff for the last quarter of 2022.
Speaking to La Presse, Ferrero first discussed the various threats he’s received over the last few years.
“Bullets sent to my home in Florence, two three years ago, they arrived, and they wanted to kill me. Another was sent to my house in Rome and recently a bullet arrived with threats against Garrone and me.
“Garrone was president of Sampdoria for twelve years and lost a lot of money, he offered to give us a hand. But if we go to Garrone with violence…”
He expressed his gratitude for former Sampdoria president Edoardo Garrone.
“I have to tell him ‘don’t worry, you had nothing to do with it and you did nothing’. He spent €400m on Samp, he saved them already 12 years ago, he offered to save them now.
“Let’s try to say thank you to him instead. Things like that are bad. It’s not football, it’s not sport.”
Finally, Ferrero shared his frustration with the growing toxicity surrounding Sampdoria.
“I have denounced everyone, those who threaten me, those who aim guns at me, those who tell me I must not go to Genoa. They dared to say that in Genoa the Digos should stop me.
“Maybe they should do it with them, to stop them from entering the stadium. Sampdoria fans are not all like that, they are a bit divided. Because I’m loved on all sides, in Rome, in Milan.
“Sampdoria must live, they must stay in Serie A. I have nothing to do with them, I stand there at the window watching, but they’re not hostage to the Ferrero family, woe to those who touch Sampdoria.”