Sampdoria coach Walter Mazzarri feels they paid for missed chances in last night's 3-1 derby defeat to Genoa.

Genoa striker Diego Milito struck a superb hat-trick and Mazzarri said: "Whatever I say when analysing this match sounds like clutching at excuses and I don't want to do that.

"When you lose a derby 3-1, anything I say can sound like an alibi. I will point out that everyone can see how often [Antonio] Cassano is knocked over the moment he gets the ball. He kept his calm and was not involved in any of the ugly scenes at the end."

Mazzarri added: "I think aside from the first half, it was a very balanced encounter in which neither side really took control.

"Only we had the better of the opening 20 minutes and probably deserved to open the scoring, but we didn't manage it."