The Derby della Lanterna

A clash old and new

Perhaps one of the lesser-known of the Italian derby matches, the Derby della Lanterna is certainly not one to be missed. Hotly anticipated on the peninsula, this old-meets-new fixture never fails to disappoint in terms of atmosphere.

‘Lanterna’ refers to the impressive 12th century lighthouse located in the city’s harbour, and it is Genoa that can boast longevity when comparing the two sides. Genoa Cricket and Football Club is the oldest in Italy, having been founded by Englishman James Richardson Spensley in 1893.

Conversely,  Sampdoria are a relatively modern club, having been set up as recently as 1946. It was then that two clubs – Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria – merged to create the modern day team. The kits incorporated the white, red and black midsection of the aforementioned club with the blue part of the shirt was taken from the latter.