International fansite Genoa CFC
After the 3-0 victory against Catania the red and blue team of Mr. Malesani is on top of the standings with Juventus and Udinese. All 3 teams have 7 points and a goal difference of +4, but Genoa scored the most goals (7) so we are the number 1. The goals against Catania were scored by Palacio (twice) before halftime and Constant in the 2nd half out of an assist of Man of the match Palacio. Watch here the highlights of this spectacular match:
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Tomorrownight at 20.45 hours Genoa plays the 2nd homematch against Catania which team also has 4 points in 2 matches. Genoa misses injured Mesto, Rossi and Zé Eduardo, while Birsa, Bovo and Merkel returned in the selection of Mr. Malesani.
After the draw against Atalanta Mr. Malesani promised that Genoa would play better against Lazio. Now we can say he was right, unless the fact that Genoa was already 1-0 down by our ex-player Giuseppe Sculli after only 10 minutes. In the first half both teams did not score anymore, but it was already clear that we saw another Genoa than a week earlier against Atalanta. The only negative aspect was the injury of captain Mesto after 22 minutes which meant the Serie A debut of Granqvist. At the beginning of the second half Mr. Malesani substituted Constant by Jorquera and he immediately showed his technical capacities. In the 54th minute he dribbled around several Lazio-players and gave a perfect assist to Rodrigo Palacio who scored the equalizer: 1-1. Sixteen minutes later it was Juraj Kucka after a combination with Palacio who scored his first goal in Italy: 1-2. This score was also on the scoreboard after the last whistle of the referee and gives Genoa 4 points after 2 matches.
Tomorrow in Rome against Lazio Mr. Malesani can not use Birsa (squalified), Bovo, Merkel, Rossi and Zé Eduardo (all injured). Happily Dario Dainelli is healthy again and can start at 15.00 hours against the Biancocelesti of Rome. The following 21 players including youngsters Alhassan and Sturaro flew with the team towards the Capital of Italy:
GOALKEEPERS: 1 Frey, 22 Lupatelli, 73 Scarpi
DEFENDERS: 23 Antonelli, 3 Dainelli, 5 Granqvist, 13 Kaladze, 20 Mesto, 24 Moretti
MIDFIELDERS: 18 Alhassan, 27 Constant, 33 Kucka, 14 Seymour, 93 Sturaro, 4 Veloso
STRIKERS: 99 Caracciolo, 11 Jankovic, 19 Jorquera, 8 Palacio, 2 Pratto, 39 Ribas
Of course we all wanted Genoa to win the first homematch of the season, but afterwards we can say that the 2-2 draw was the most honest result. After only 6 minutes Miguel Veloso scored the first goal of the season after an assist of Palacio. The joy lasted only 2 minutes when Moralez scored the equalizer: 1-1. Our best player Rodrigo Palacio was close to 2-1, but the goal was made just before halftime at the other side: again Moralez: 1-2. Ten minutes after the break Giandomenico Mesto scored the equalizer after a big mistake in the Atalanta-defense. During the rest of the match both teams had chances to score the winning goal and in the last minute our new playmaker Valter Birsa got a red card, but the score did not change any more: 2-2.
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Our new coach Alberto Malesani selected all 21 healthy players against Atalanta:
Goalkeepers: 1 Frey, 22 Lupatelli.
Defenders: 23 Antonelli, 21 Bovo, 5 Granqvist, 13 Kaladze, 20 Mesto, 24 Moretti.
Midfielders: 10 Birsa, 27 Constant, 33 Kucka, 7 Rossi, 14 Seymour, 93 Sturaro, 4 Veloso.
Strikers: 99 Caracciolo, 11 Jankovic, 19 Jorquera, 8 Palacio, 2 Pratto, 39 Ribas.
Genoa misses 4 players: Alessio Scarpi, Dario Dainelli, Aleksander Merkel and Zé Eduardo, all injured.
The whole summer it seemed that Alberto Gilardino of Fiorentina would be our new central-forward. Mr. Preziosi already had an agreement with the player and because of the bad relation between Gilardino and Fiorentina the transfer for everybody was only a matter of time. Unless an offer of € 10 million and Houssine Kharja Fiorentina refused to let Gilardino go to Genova, so Mr. Preziosi at the end of the transferperiod had to buy another central-striker: the 29 years old Andrea Caracciolo of Brescia who scored 12 times in Serie A last season unless the relegation of Brescia. The 1.94 meters tall player with the nickname: Heron has to battle with Pratto and Zé Eduardo to be in the line-up.
During the handover of the trophy Genoa Club Amsterdam Genoano of the year we heard that Rodrigo Palacio would stay the rest of his contract that ended in June 2013 with Genoa and afterwards he would return to Argentina. This summer Inter did everything to buy Rodrigo Palacio and at the last day of the transferperiod they offered € 10 million to Mr. Preziosi who refused. Rodrigo Palacio stays with Genoa and last week he enlarged his contract with 1 extra year till June 2014.
The strike of the players in the Serie A is over. Lega Calcio and the players union made a temporarely deal to the summer of 2012 which means that the new season start at Friday 9th September with Milan-Lazio. Two days later on Sunday 11th September Genoa starts in Luigi Ferraris against promoted Atalanta. The first half the stadium will be completely silent to protest against the players-strike 2 weeks ago at the 1st round of Serie A.
The match Napoli-Genoa of today is just as all the other matches in Serie A cancelled because of a strike of the players. The first playround of Serie A is hopefully at Sunday 11th September with Genoa-Atalanta.
Genoa has passed the 3rd round of the Coppa Italia by beating Nocerina (Serie B). After only 16 minutes the match seemed already played when Genoa leaded by goals of Palacio and Pratto by 2-0. Just before halftime Nocerina-defender Di Maio brought the team of South-Italy back in the match: 2-1. Only 3 minutes after the break Rodrigo Palacio scored his 2nd goal and Genoa started to play spectacular football, but forgot to score more goals. Nocerina came back in the match and scored 2-3 and in the 87th minute even 3-3. Extra time was nearby, but in the 91st minute Kakhaber Kladze headed Genoa in the 4th round of Coppa Italia against Bari: 4-3.
Central-defender Cesare Bovo is back with Genoa. Three years ago he moved to Palermo (in which deal Giuseppe Biava came to Genoa) and now the 28 years old defender returns in the red and blue shirt. Together with Dainelli, Granqvist and Kaladze we now have 4 central-defenders in the team that have to play for 2 positions in the field.
In the Northwest of Spain Genoa did win the first serious friendly of this season. By goals of Pratto and Palacio the team of Malesani ended the first half with an advantage of 2-0. After the break Sporting Gijon (Primera Division) was furious to try to convince their own supporters 1 week before the championship in Spain starts. Our defense leaded by Sebastien Frey could resist the Spanish storm and had to take a goal only once when our captain Marco Rossi scored in his own goal in the 72nd minute: 1-2. The next important match is Sunday 21st August in Luigi Ferraris against Nocerina in the 3rd round of Coppa Italia. Maybe our central forward in this match will be Italian international Alberto Gilardino who is close to a transfer from Fiorentina to Genoa to join his former teammates Dainelli and Frey.