Atalanta vs Sampdoria preview - Colantuono shrugs off Icardi pledge

Atalanta head coach Stefano Colantuono has shrugged off Mauro Icardi's promise to continue his goalscoring spree at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia and is focused on his own strikers.

Sampdoria striker Icardi, 20, has turned heads in Serie A with a nine-goal haul that includes a match-winning brace at Juventus and impressive strikes against Roma and Genoa.

But, after he pledged to bring up his 10th goal of the season in Bergamo on Saturday, an unfazed Colantuono told La Repubblica: "He's said he wants to score against us?

"All strikers want to score, that's what they do. Let's hope our own strikers can produce the goods."

The Nerazzurri enjoy an eight-point gap above the relegation places but Samp coach Delio Rossi has guided his team into 10th place in recent weeks.

"It will be a tough game because Rossi has rebuilt the team," Colantuono added. "He's changed their system and now they're picking up some good results.

"It will be very hard but we have the opportunity to reach safety as soon as possible before consolidating our position."

The Roman tactician also took the time to cool speculation linking him with the hotseat at Napoli.

Walter Mazzarri is yet to agree a contract extension at the San Paolo and, with his deal set to expire in the summer, Colantuono has been mentioned among the front-runners to replace him.

"If these rumours are going around then it means I'm doing well," he said. "Napoli, however, already have a great coach and they'd do well to hang on to him.

"I've signed a contract extension and I'm happy to have done so. I'm not going anywhere."

Icardi, meanwhile, has been linked with both Napoli and Inter Milan, but he insists he is fully focused on scoring for Samp.

He told the Corriere dello Sport: "I didn't expect to do so well in my first year in Serie A.

"My favourite goal was against Genoa in front of our own fans. The goals against Juventus were incredible too.

"It's not difficult to play through all the transfer rumours - just because I've scored a few goals that doesn't mean I'm a phenomenon."

Utility player Andrea Costa is Samp's only injury concern while Atalanta are without Gian Bellini, Igor Budan and Guido Marilungo.