Author: Hans

Not Edgar Davids, but Thiago Motta arrived

from left to right: Bosko Jankovic, Enrico Preziosi and Thiago Motta

Today Genoa presented the last new arrivals: midfielders Bosko Jankovic of Palermo and Thiago Motta of Atletico Madrid. Jankovic was already bought at the 1st September, the last day of the transfer-season. Brazilian midfield-player Thiago Motta ended his contract this summer with Atletico Madrid and signed last Sunday just before Genoa-Milan his 4 years contract. The 26 years old Motta played 5 years and 38 Champions league matches with F.C. Barcelona. Because of a heavy knee-injury he left Barcelona last year to Atletico Madrid, but in the capital of Spain he played because of his injury only 8 matches. A detailed medical test in Milano told Genoa that Motta is completely healthy now, so within a month he must be ready to play his first match in our red and blue shirt.

Thiago Motta in the shirt of F.C. Barcelona    

Like a dream: Genoa – Milan 2-0 (Sculli, Milito)

Giuseppe Sculli celebrates his goal against Milan

The last victory of Genoa against Milan was in 1984, so 24 years ago. This year Milan has 3 former winners of the golden ball for the best football-player of the world in the team: Kaka, Ronaldinho and Shevchenko and all 3 started in the line-up against Genoa. Milan lost 2 weeks ago the first match of the season against Bologna and Genoa lost 1-0 in Catania, so both teams had to win yesterday. Mr. Gasperini started with the returned son Diego Milito inbetween Sculli and Gasbarroni as strikers. 

With almost 29.000 Genoa-fans in Luigi Ferraris stadium (Milan-fans were banned because they killed Claudio Spagnolo 13 years ago) our red and blue boys started very agressive against the big names of Milan. Immediately Genoa was the best team in the field with Gasbarroni as the most dangerous player who completely made Italian-international Zambrotta crazy. In the 30th minute Diego Milito played the ball with his breast towards Giuseppe Sculli who kicked the ball in the left-corner behind goalkeeper Abbiati: 1-0, which was also the score at the moment Rocchi whistled 3 times.

At halftime Ronaldinho and Shevchenko were substituted by Seedorf and our topscorer of last year Borriello. It must be said: in the second half both teams were equal, with Gasbarroni still as the best player in the field. Sculli missed 2 great chances to decide the match definitively, but on the other side Rubinho saved shots of Borriello and Pato. In the 90th minute Milito played the ball in the penalty-area besides captain Paolo Maldini who kicked his legs out of frustation. Referee Rocchi did the only thing he could do: whistle for a penalty. Milito scored the penalty: 2-0, game over ! 

Diego Milito with Ambrosini

Edgar Davids to Genova to have medical test

Edgar Davids, 35 years old midfielder

Saturday after the friendly match against Bellinzona Mr. Enrico Preziosi told the press that maybe another player arrives with Genoa. Because the transfermarket is closed it could only be a player without a contract at the moment. Last summer Edgar Davids refused to sign a new contract with Ajax and since that time he trains with AZ Alkmaar, opponent of Genoa a few weeks ago at Tropheo Spagnolo (Genoa won by 3-1). The news in Holland today says that Davids has an agreement with Genoa, but before he can sign the contract he first has to pass a very detailed medical test. 

115 years old Genoa beats Bellinzona: 3-0

Genoa celebrated their 115th birthday in Luigi Ferraris stadium

Today Genoa, the oldest club of Italy, has become 115 years. The party with 20.000 people was yesterday-evening in Luigi Ferraris stadium. Of course also the team of Mr. Gasperini was present at the party, while they played a friendy match in the afternoon in Switzerland against Bellinzona. Genoa beat Bellinzona, that plays next week against Galatasary in the Uefa-cup, with 3-0 by goals of Gasbarroni (2x) and Palladino in the first half. Diego Milito started in the line-up and played 60 minutes.

  Diego Milito in his first match against Bellinzona (3-0)

The “other” new arrivals: Jankovic and Brivo

Bosko Jankovic, central midfielder  Davide brivo, left midfieldplayer

Maybe the transfer of Bosko Jankovic is the most important of this summer. Since the injury of Matteo Paro in February we miss a substitute of Omar Milanetto and now we finally found him with Jankovic. The 24 years old central midfielder is raised with Red Star Belgrado, played 28 matches (9 goals) with Real Mallorca in the Spanish Primera Division in the season 2006-2007 and 26 matches with 2 goals last year with Palermo. Bosko also brings some useful “body” in our team with his 1.84 meters and 77 kilo’s.

With the departure of both Brazilians Fabiano and Danilo we lost both left midfielders in the team. Genoa already bought Francesco Modesto of Reggina this summer and with Davide Brivio we now also have a natural substitute. Davide is only 20 years and raised in the youth of Atalanta Bergamo. He already played 2 Serie A matches with Fiorentina and last year 27 matches with Vicenza in Serie B.

Friday again 220 seasontickets were sold, so Militomania still goes on. To show once again why Diego Milito is so populair hereby the highlights of the match Real Zaragoza-Real Madrid of 8th february 2006. Real Madrid played with Beckham, Ronaldo, Casillas, Robert Carlos, etc., but they were beaten by 6-1 with first 4 goals of Milito: 

[youtube WICTvIkdZvY]

Militomania: 700 seasontickets sold in 3 days

The fans welcomed Diego Milito

Mondaynight around 7 o’clock Genoa officialy bought Diego Alberto Milito and since that time all Genoa-fans are completely crazy about the return of the topscorer. Tuesdaynight just before midnight Diego was welcomed by 1000 fans at the Sheraton-hotel near the airport. Over 3.000 fans came Wednesday-afternoon to Gianluca Signorini trainingfield to watch the first training of Milito and the last 3 days over 700 seasontickets are sold.

Diego Milito plays with number 22 next season, the number of Marco Borriello last year 

He’s back: topscorer Diego Alberto Milito

Diego Alberto Milito already played with Genoa from January 2004 till June 2005

Enrico Preziosi did it again: today he bought 3 new players: midfielders Davide Brivio (20 years of Vicenza) and Bosko Jankovic (24 years of Palermo) and the big surprise: striker Diego Alberto Milito (29 years of Real Zaragoza) who already scored 33 goals in 59 Serie B-matches with Genoa from January 2004 till June 2005. Besides these new players also the contracts of Nicolas Domingo and Marcel Roman are official now, while Davide di Gennaro was sold to Reggina today. All of this means that also Figueroa stays with Genoa.

The last 2 transfers in Italy of the summer of 2008 were: Jankovic, just before 19.00 and Milito just after 19.00 hours. The first rumours said that the transfer was annulated because it arrived too late, but because Fabrizio Preziosi already brought the first page of the contract right before 19.00 in the office of Lega Calcio they accepted that the rest of the contract with the signatures arrived just after 7 o’clock. All of this happened because Tottenham Hotspur at 17.00 hours did a better offer than Genoa to Real Zaragoza, so Preziosi had to raise his offer with € 2 million after which Zaragoza hoped that also Spurs would higher their price, but they didn’t so Zaragoza had to agree with the last offer of Preziosi and send their signature by fax at closing-time 7 o’clock. 

Everybody who has forgotten Diego (Il Principe) Milito, watch this video:

[youtube xso5w-hrJTs]

Genoa beaten by goal of ex-player Mascara

Just as last year Genoa has lost the first match of the season. After 0-3 last season against Milan, this time 1-0 in Sicily against Catania. The goal was scored in the 63rd minute by Giuseppe Mascara who played with Genoa in the season 2002-2003. Also in the season 2004-2005 in Serie B Mascara scored an important goal against us in the last minute of the match Perugia-Genoa: 2-2.

Anthony Vanden Borre substituted banned Milanetto

Genoa started with Anthony Vanden Borre and Juric as central midfielders, assisted by Marco Rossi (right) and Francesco Modesto (left). In the first 15 minutes Catania started, as expected, very agressive but after this period Genoa controlled the match and had some little chances to score in the oven of Catania. In the best part of the match of Genoa the goal of Giuseppe Mascara was scored. Of course Genoa did everything to score the equalizer, but we did not succeed.

Gasperini selects 20 players including Paro

Stadio A. Massimino of Catania (capacity: 30.000) 

This afternoon Mr. Gasperini and his staff flew with 20 players to Catania in Sicily. Only squalified Omar Milanetto is not selected, while his subsitute Matteo Paro returned for the first time in the selection since 6 months after his heavy knee-injury. Because Matteo did not play one single minute in the pre-season he probably will be 1 of the 2 players that have to watch the match from the stands. The 20 players are:

Goalkeepers: Rubinho 83, Scarpi 73

Defenders: Biava 25, Bocchetti 26, Criscito 4, Ferrari 13, Sokratis 15, Potenza 3

Midfielders: Juric 28, Mesto 20, Modesto 23, Paro 19, Rossi 7, Vanden Borre 68

Strikers: Di Gennaro 21, Figueroa 9, Gasbarroni 18, Olivera 11, Palladino 10, Sculli 14