A brilliantly bizarre story has been doing the rounds today on Genoa coach Luca De Pra. De Pra was found hiding in a bush on Friday trying to spy on local rivals Sampdoria ahead of today's derby. What makes the story truly poetic is that Gazzetta Dello Sport reported that having been spotted by Sampdoria staff, De Pra tried to escape and was discovered to be wearing full military attire. Genoa have since issued a statement saying the coach has been suspended pending an investigation.
Sampdoria to their credit issued a counter statement and it's brilliant:
"That the derby is a question of nerve, tactics and strategy we already knew, but frankly we could never expect that it could turn into an scene of espionage.
"Like Rambo hidden among the branches on the hill, Luca De Pra, Genoa goalkeeping coach and man of noble footballing ancestry, failed to overcome Sampdoria's intelligence and counter intelligence operations.
"However, no prisoners were taken, and no blood was shed. Once tracked down and caught red-handed, the opposing side's soldier was let free to return to base. You should always forgive your enemies, as nothing annoys them more."
Genoa and Sampdoria collide at 7:45 tonight.
