Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero is excited by the team's prospects after victory over AS Roma.

Samp are now joint fifth with Fiorentina, only one point behind Roma.

Ferrero said: "We deserved this, nobody has gifted us anything and we are growing after an understandable dip in form.

"I love my lads madly and at the end of the day all this hard work pays off. It is satisfying to see Samuel Eto'o and Luis Muriel do so well, as I really bet on them.

"We knew Eto'o was great, while Muriel promised me he would deliver. I wouldn't have signed him otherwise!"