Sampdoria: the rise and fall of the Italian team who are facing the relegation to Serie C
Mantovani’s death in 1993 was “the beginning of the end in Sampdoria”, according to the Italian football journalist David Ferrini.
He added: “The Kingdom of Mantovani attracted the talent and kept them happy in Genoa, but his disappearance – combined with the postmates of a hangover of Scudetto’s success – meant that the best players of Sampdoria became targets of primary transfer.”
In 1994 they lost avenues against Juventus for a world record then £ 12 million, while Inter paid £ 7 million for Pagliuca, a record for a goalkeeper at the time.
Vierchowod joined Juventus 12 months after before Mancini followed Sven Goran Eriksson – who had replaced Boskov as manager in 1992 – in Lazio in 1997.
Gullit and Platt joined for short spells in the last stages of their career, but Sampdoria no longer had the same charm they once did.
Enrico Mantovani took over as president but was unable to replicate the success of his father – and a constant decline followed the triumph of the Italian Cup of 1993-94. In 1999 the club was relegated to Serie B.
Things improved under the presidency of the local entrepreneur Riccardo Garrone, who brought the club to Serie A in 2003 and signed the future heroes of worship Fabio Quaglialla and Antonio Cassano.
Yet the highlights of the 21st century lost the Italian Cup final in 2008-09 and a fourth place championship the following year.
The Sinetto Cinematographic Manufacturer Massimo Ferrero purchased the club in 2014 – assuming its growing debts – but what followed was seven years of sale of their best players, spending little on replacements and flirting with relegation on a regular basis.
“He seemed more worried about strengthening his image, like the bizarre star of his football show of an individual reality, rather than ensuring that Samp prosperò,” says Kasiewicz.
In December 2021 Ferrero was arrested and imprisoned as part of an investigation into corporate crimes and bankruptcy, not related to the club. He resigned as president.
“The club actually ceased to work. It was like a card house,” says Nima Tavallaey, Italian football journalist and host of the Italian football podcast.
Without available funds and Ferrero refuses to give up control, Sampdoria avoided the relegation from Serie A in 2022. But in 2023 they went down, among the reports of unpaid wages.
With the club starring the barrel of bankruptcy and decrease in the fourth level, a consortium led by the former owner of Leeds United Andrea Radrizzani and the London financier Matteo Manfriedi – and his Gestio Capital company – purchased the club, although Radrizzani has stretched out his actions.
Gestio Capital say that they and their investors now have 99.96% of the club and deny relationships in the Genoese newspaper The XIX century, external The businessman of Singapore Joseph Tey Wei Jin – appointed in the 2015 Panama Papers – actually has most of the actions through his Kickoff Ventures company.
