Genoa will look to confirm a shift in power in Sunday as they host Sampdoria in the 100th Derby della Lanterna.

With five games of the season remaining, the Grifone have such an advantage over their neighbours that even if they were to lose their remaining fixtures, they would still end the season placed higher placed.

Tomorrow they will get the chance to prove why they are doing so well this season.

Furthermore, they can complete a double over Samp for the first time since the 1964/65 season as well as maintaining their push for a place in the Champions League.

"We ought to be proud of ourselves," said coach Gian Piero Gasperini. "One of our aims at the start of the season was to finish ahead of them in the league.

"We have managed to do so with five games of the season remaining and we will go down in history as the side who did that."

Genoa have lost their last two games and slipped to fifth in the Serie A table, which is why tomorrow night's derby is even more important for the red and blue side of the city.

They cannot afford to lose ground on Fiorentina if they are to play in the Champions League next season so tomorrow night - more than ever - there will no love lost between the two sides.

"I rate Sampdoria highly, but obviously we will be looking for the three points," added Gasperini.

"I would like to see them win the Coppa Italia because it would be great to have two teams (from Genoa) in Europe, us with our league placing and them with the cup.

"We have got to win this game for our league position and for our aims of qualifying for Europe."

Gasperini has a fully fit squad of players to choose from and is set to confirm Diego Milito in his attack alongside Raffaele Palladino and Giuseppe Sculli.

That is the formation he practised yesterday, when thousands of Genoa fans descended on their training camp to highlight the importance of this fixture.

Around a thousand fans gave their support to Sampdoria at their training ground on the other side of the city today, but not a peep could be heard out of coach Walter Mazzarri.

The Blucerchiati do not appear to be taking too kindly to being so far behind Genoa in the league table and have taken the option of silence in the build-up to this game, imposing a ban on all employees from talking to the media.

They instead want to be focused on tomorrow night's game, when the Stadio Luigi Ferraris will be full to the rafters, but striker Giampaolo Pazzini could not resist setting out his ambitions.

"It would be fantastic to score a goal and give our marvellous fans such satisfaction," he said.

Pazzini has scored nine since joining Samp from Fiorentina in January and has forged a fine working partnership with Antonio Cassano.

After being rested last weekend to leave him in top condition for tomorrow, Pazzini cannot wait to get back on the field to do what he does best.

"I feel really happy at Samp as I also do with Cassano, who is an excellent lad, both on and off the field.

"I have also bonded with my team-mates, who have made me feel part of the squad from day one."

Pazzini will replace Guido Marilungo, who marked his full debut with two goals against Cagliari last weekend.

Angelo Palombo, Hugo Campagnaro, Stefano Lucchini, Mirko Pieri and Luca Castellazzi are also set to return after being given a break seven days ago.