Industry News

Sampdoria in talks to buy home stadium – report

Italian Serie A football club Sampdoria is reportedly in talks to buy its home stadium, the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, for a fee of €10m (£8.9m/$12.1m).

The club is based in the city of Genoa, which owns the stadium. The stadium is also used by Genoa, Sampdoria’s cross-city rival.

According to the Repubblica Genova newspaper, Sampdoria is close to signing off on a deal that would grant the club ownership of the stadium. Genoa would be free to continue playing at the stadium as tenants of Sampdoria.

Stefano Anzalone, the councilor in charge of sports promotion and education in Genoa, told Repubblica Genova: “By the end of the month, we’ll know something official.”

He added: “I met the Blucerchiata company a couple of times, in early September and in November. The president (Massimo) Ferrero has reiterated a wish to formulate a proposal of purchase … In my opinion, (the stadium) can be worth a figure of around €10m.”

The Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris is also known as the Marassi and has a capacity of 36,600. Genoa has played at the venue since it opened in 1911, with Sampdoria having called the stadium its home since 1946.

Sampdoria is currently sixth in the Serie A table, with Genoa lying in 16th position.

Image: Gabriel Rinaldi