Marco Lanna, president of Sampdoria, provided an update on the club’s financial concerns and the possible Qatari takeover.
The Blucerchiati currently sit rock bottom of the Serie A table after nine games, only picking up three points from three draws. The team look at risk of joining intercity rivals Genoa in Serie B and need to turn things around fast if they want to escape the risk of relegation. Sampdoria host Jose Mourinho’s Roma tonight and will be dreaming of a possible upset.
Speaking to Il Messaggero, Lanna discussed Sampdoria’s economic issues and the state of the situation when he took over last year.
“I did it out of passion and love for Samp and I am happy, but every day is hard and not easy. We are waiting for buyers, yes. When I arrived I was assured that by June, avoiding relegation, they would arrive.
“We are in October. At the moment the money is not there. From what I know, the Arabs will put it in. Then, maybe they won’t arrive or they will arrive who knows when, I can’t know. We are doing everything we can, almost at zero cost, to stay upright.”
Lanna added that he was confident that the Qatari bid, reportedly led by member of the royal family Khalid Faleh al Thani, would be completed.
“I wonder: why is this circus being put on if they don’t want to buy the club? To get publicity? It wouldn’t make sense. So I am confident. My model for a president is Mantovani.
“A refined, classy person, someone who built a family-sized Samp, people who still love each other and hang out after years. One who never raised his voice and had style.”
Sampdoria have been thrust into difficulty following the arrest of previous president Massimo Ferrero, who was the focus of ongoing investigations into corporate crimes and bankruptcy.