The first Derby della Lanterna of the season will be played tonight, and despite their lack of success in the past 25 years, Genoa v Sampdoria remains one of Italy’s fiercest rivalries.
The very first derby was played all the way back in 1902, when Sampdoria were known as Andrea Doria, as 49 games were played in total between Genoa and this incarnation of Samp, with the former emerging with 30 victories in all competitions, with only eight wins for Andrea Doria.
The first Derby della Lanterna of the season will be played tonight, and despite their lack of success in the past 25 years, Genoa v Sampdoria remains one of Italy’s fiercest rivalries.
The very first derby was played all the way back in 1902, when Sampdoria were known as Andrea Doria, as 49 games were played in total between Genoa and this incarnation of Samp, with the former emerging with 30 victories in all competitions, with only eight wins for Andrea Doria.
The real derby began in 1946, when a merger occurred between Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria to form Sampdoria.
Since then, tonight’s away opponents hold the lion's share of the victories in the Genoese derby.
Sampdoria have 39 wins in all competitions against Genoa, with Italy’s oldest club registering 24 victories, with 37 draws in between.
The first meeting between the pair took place in the 1946-47 season, with Samp doing the double over their new rivals, with a combined 6-2 scoreline.
After securing their first victory in the 1947-48 season, Genoa wouldn’t win another derby for eight years, claiming their second win in 1955-56.
There was a five-year gap in the mid to late 1980s when the derby wasn’t played at all, due to Genoa languishing in Serie B.
The rivalry picked up again in earnest from 1989 onwards, with the two even battling it out in Serie B together in the earliest part of the 21st century.
Again another five-year gap was created as Sampdoria clawed their way out of the second tier in 2002-03, but their city rivals continued to struggle and wouldn’t join them until the 2007-08 season.
Sampdoria have scored 117 goals in the derby, with Genoa netting 96.
Of recent times, Diego Milito and Roberto Mancini are the derbies' top scorers, with four goals apiece.
Genoa haven’t beaten Samp for four seasons, their last win coming in May 2016 in a 3-0 win.
The Blucerchiati have got the better of their neighbours this decade, winning nine times to four.
The biggest win in a derby again goes to Samp, who recorded a 5-1 win in October 1948.