Andrea Mandorlini admits Sampdoria have “very good strikers,” but believes Verona can do well if they keep their shape.

It kicks off at 11.30 GMT, click here for a match preview.

The Scaligeri meet the Blucerchiati today in a tie that could be decided by the teams' respective physicality, but the prospect doesn't seem daunting to Hellas boss Mandorlini.

Andrea Mandorlini admits Sampdoria have “very good strikers,” but believes Verona can do well if they keep their shape.

It kicks off at 11.30 GMT, click here for a match preview.

The Scaligeri meet the Blucerchiati today in a tie that could be decided by the teams' respective physicality, but the prospect doesn't seem daunting to Hellas boss Mandorlini.

“Our team is in a good condition, we trained a lot this week and we want to play a great match,” he told the Press.

“I'm happy to see Walter Zenga again. I have an excellent relationship with him and I'm glad he came back to Italian football.

“He had a wonderful career, but like all goalkeepers he made a few mistakes too! Jokes aside, I'm certain the game against Samp is going to be tough.

“They're really good in terms of strikers. We just have to play the game we prepared over the weekend.

“We have our playing style and it gave us a great deal of satisfaction in the last few years, so we'll just keep going on our own way.”

The 55-year-old was then asked whether having to play away to Sampdoria would represent a handicap.

“The environmental factor is very important. We must show that we have solid nerves and think of this as no more than a game of football. It's going to be a difficult game, but that doesn't mean we can't do well.

“This is my sixth year at the helm of this team. We lived some positive moments and others that were not so positive and we always handled them wonderfully.

“When I came we were at the bottom of the standings in Lega Pro, and now here we are. The future is in our own hands, which is great because it means we have to fight for it with our own strength.

“I'm calm, because I see the way the boys are training.”

The injury crisis drags on, ruling out Luca Toni, Federico Viviani, Michelangelo Albertazzi, Romulo, Claudio Winck, Pawel Wszolek and Mohamed Fares.

Verona squad for Sampdoria: Coppola, Gollini, Rafael; Bianchetti, Helander, Marquez, Moras, Pisano, Souprayen; Greco, Hallfredsson, Ionita, Matuzalem, Sala, Zaccagni; Jankovic, Gomez Taleb, Pazzini, Siligardi

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