On Thursday evening Sampdoria's protracted dispute with Antonio Cassano eventually came to an end as the tribunal ruled that the player must be reinstated into the team from February 1 and also levied punishment on him. Not that this affects the Blucerchiati's state of affairs as the club have been playing without the Italy international for almost two months and are gradually beginning to claw out of his shadows as well.
On Sunday evening, though, against their most fierce rivals Genoa it will be a test of character as well as resolve for the Samp players to register a win without their talisman. Samp have struggled for goals and have also lost their last two competitive matches, going down 1-0 to relegation-threatened Brescia last weekend in the league before losing the dead-rubber Europa League fixture 2-0 against Debrecen in Hungary.
At the moment Domenico Di Carlo's side have 23 points from 16 matches and are three points and two places behind sixth-placed Roma. Doria may have struggled to find the oppositions' net but they have made it tough for their opponents to breach their citadel - having conceded just 13 goals they boast themselves as the second best side in the first division defensively.
Leapfrogging Their Archrivals
While Sampdoria have been embroiled in off-pitch problems this campaign, Genoa have been facing trouble on the pitch. A disappointing start to the 2010-11 campaign married to inconsistency have eroded much of the Grifone dream to finish in the top six of the table.
However, a victory over their arch-rivals Sampdoria on Sunday evening will revive back those lofty ambitions for Genoa. Davide Ballardini's side are just two points behind Samp in 10th place and a win could see them close the gap on sixth-placed Roma.
Last season in the first Derby della Lanterna Genoa accomplished a comprehensive 3-0 victory and they will be keen to invoke those spirits. However, the Rossoblu are not in the best of form at the moment as they lost 1-0 to Napoli last weekend and have won just one of their last four league matches.
TEAM NEWS
Sampdoria
Gastaldello, Zauri, Semioli and Obiang are out
Genoa
Sculli, Kaladze and Palacio will miss the Genoa derby as they are sidelined with injuries.
Prediction
Anything's possible in this game especially with the two sides just a couple of points off each other. Much will depend on which team turns up on the night but it could well end in a draw. However, expect a red card or two as well.
Sampdoria 2-2 Genoa 
