Sampdoria owner Massimo Ferrero believes he has in his employment the secret weapon that will shoot down Serie A leaders Juventus this afternoon.

Encounters between the two clubs in Turin have been topsy-turvy affairs in recent years – the last four clashes have witnessed 21 goals and a rare away win for Samp, in January 2013.

The Bianconeri have embraced that unpredictability as it has done little to damage their run to three straight league titles, but this time around the fixture is fraught with danger for the champions.

Samp are themselves pushing for a top-three finish and an away victory could open the door for second-placed Roma to draw level with Juve should they go on to beat Genoa today.

And with dynamic Serbian tactician Sinisa Mihajlovic leading Samp’s current push for glory, their colourful president Ferrero has warned Juve they could be set to endure a frustrating afternoon.

When asked if beating the Scudetto holders in their own backyard was a bridge too far for the Genoa club, the 63-year-old film producer told La Repubblica Sport: “We’ll see. Don’t forget we have Sinisa.

“He brings courage and a fierce will to win to the team. If the players express themselves in the way he wants them to, with all the talent they have, then they can disappoint everyone, not just Juve.

“Sinisa has dragged the talent out of all of them and has given courage to those who lacked it. Now they are not afraid of anyone.

“But I think most of all they’ve been infected by me, their president, because I want to win all the time too.”

Defender Lorenzo De Silvestri is suspended for the trip north while Matias Silvestre, Gianluca Sansone and Pawel Wszolek are absent due to injury.

Left-back Giorgio Chiellini is banned for Juve, who have further cause for concern in defence given Andrea Barzagli, Martin Caceres and Kwadwo Asamoah are all on the treatment table.

A goalless draw with Atletico Madrid in Turin was enough to steer Massimiliano Allegri’s men into the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday but Swiss right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner insists his colleagues’ focus immediately switched back to working out how to resist plucky Samp.

“We have to concentrate and stay on red alert,” he told juventus.com.

“It will be a very tough game.

“Samp are a very good side with a very good coach, who I really like.

“For us it’s much easier to play against sides who come flying at you rather than cautious ones who spend their time closing you down, like Samp.”

Results

Serie A

Played yesterday

Palermo 2
Rigoni 3; Belotti 90;
Sassuolo 1
Pavoletti 85;

HT: 1-0. Att: 21,086.
Red cards: Consigli (S) 66; Cannavaro (S) 90.

Lazio 3
Mauri 51, 71; Lulic 81;
Atalanta 0

HT: 0-0. Att: 21,245.

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Juventus	14	11	2	1	30	5	35
Roma	14	10	2	2	27	11	32
Genoa	14	7	5	2	20	12	26
Lazio	15	8	2	5	26	17	26
Sampdoria	14	6	7	1	19	11	25
Napoli	14	6	6	2	26	18	24
Milan	14	5	6	3	23	18	21
Udinese	14	6	3	5	17	18	21
Palermo	15	5	6	4	19	23	21
Fiorentina	14	5	5	4	16	11	20
Sassuolo	15	4	7	4	16	20	19
Inter	14	4	5	5	21	21	17
Empoli	14	3	6	5	16	21	15
Verona	14	3	5	6	16	25	14
Atalanta	15	3	5	7	8	18	14
Chievo	14	3	4	7	11	17	13
Torino	14	3	4	7	10	17	13
Cagliari	14	2	5	7	20	26	11
Cesena	14	1	5	8	11	25	8
Parma (-1)	14	2	0	12	16	34	5

Today – 15.00
Cesena vs Fiorentina - 18.00
Genoa vs Roma - 15.00
Juventus vs Sampdoria - 12.30
Milan vs Napoli - 20.45
Parma vs Cagliari - 15.00
Udinese vs Verona - 15.00

Tomorrow
Empoli vs Torino - 19.00
Chievo vs Inter - 21.00

Next fixtures

Thursday: 19.00 Cagliari vs Juventus. 21.00 Napoli vs Parma.
Saturday: 18.00 Sassuolo vs Cesena. 20.45 Roma vs Milan.
Sunday: 12.30 Verona vs Chievo. 15.00 Atalanta vs Palermo; Fiorentina vs Empoli; Sampdoria vs Udinese; Torino vs Genoa. 20.45 Inter vs Lazio.

Serie B
Bologna vs Frosinone - 2-2
Brescia vs Spezia - 0-1
Carpi vs Modena - 1-0
Cittadella vs Bari - 0-1
Crotone vs Pro Vercelli - 0-1
Entella vs Vicenza - 2-1
Livorno vs Catania - 4-2
Pescara vs Avellino - 0-0
Ternana vs Lanciano - 0-1

Tomorrow
Latina vs Varese - 20.30

Standings: Carpi 36; Frosinone 30; Livorno, Spezia 29; Lanciano, Bologna 28; Trapani 27; Avellino 26; Perugia 25; Pro Vercelli 24; Vicenza 23; Modena, Ternana, Bari 22; Pescara 21; Catania, Entella 20; Brescia 19; Crotone 17; Varese 16; Cittadella, Latina 15.

Lega Pro

Group A: SudTirol vs Pavia 0-0; Renate vs Bassano 2-1; Novara vs Pordenone 2-0; Real Vicenza vs Mantova 2-0; Feralpisalò vs Giana 1-0.

Group B: L’Aquila vs Pro Piacenza 0-1; Prato vs Grosseto 1-1; Pisa vs Ancona 2-1; Ascoli vs Santarcangelo 2-0; Gubbio vs Pistoiese 1-1.

Group C: Casertana vs Lamezia 3-0; Reggina vs Foggia 0-2; Barletta vs Salernitana 1-0; Lecce vs Martina 0-1.