Category: News

After complains of many players of Genoa and Sampdoria and heavy critics of Lega Calcio the city of Genova has decided to put new grass in Luigi Ferraris stadium. Yesterday the old grass is removed as you can see and today they will start to bring the new grass on the playground, so the field is ready before Genoa’s match Saturday 10th January.

Friday our players have their first training in 2009. Probably also central-forward Lupo Greco will be present in Pegli to be the reserve-Milito for the rest of the season. At the moment Giuseppe Greco is still rent by Genoa to Pisa in Serie B.

 

Genova-city: sunshine +29                  Sampierdarena: snow -10 (brr) 

Merry Christmas to all Genoani in the world !!

Sometimes you don’t win while you deserve it, like last week against Atalanta. Another time you don’t deserve it but you win a match. Today Genoa did win the last match of the fantastic year 2008 by a goal of Ruben Olivera in the 89th minute, but we did not deserve it. Despite the fact that Chievo Verona hit two times the post it was a really 0-0 match between number last Chievo Verona and the very handicaped team of Mr. Gasperini who missed 7 line-up players (Ferrari, Mesto, Milanetto, Gasbarroni, Sculli, Milito and Palladino) and let El Shaarawy (16 years) and Brivio make their debut today. With this victory Genoa ends 2008 on the 6th Uefa-cup position in the standings with 29 points in 17 matches, 10 more than last year after 17 games.

Mr. Gasperini has only 14 players left of his selection of 26. Today it was clear that also Diego Milito is not healthy enough to play against Chievo Verona, so Genoa misses 4 of the 6 strikers. Besides the 14 players Mr. Gasperini also selected 4 youngsters of the Primavera-team to play against the number last of the Serie A. 

The 18 players who will be supported 300 kilometers from Genova by 1500 Genoani:

Goalkeepers: Rubinho, Scarpi

Defenders: Biava, Bocchetti, Criscito, 34 Signorini, Sokratis

Midfielders: Brivio, 16 Cofie, Juric, Modesto, Rossi, Thiago Motta, Vanden Borre

Strikers: 31 El Shaarawy, Jankovic, Olivera, 33 Lazarevic

Mr. Gasperini has 6 strikers in his selection. At this moment only 1 striker is completely healthy and in condition: substitute Bosko Jankovic. The other healthy forward is another substitute: Ruben Olivera, but he did not play more than 20 minutes for a very long time, so he is not in match-condition. Giuseppe Sculli is banned Sunday after his 4th yellow card against Atalanta, while Gasbarroni and Palladino are injured. Our 6th and most important striker with 12 goals: Diego Milito is slightly injured, just as against Atalanta. Tomorrow in the last training Mr. Gasperini decides if Milito can play against Chievo, just as Giuseppe Biava and Ivan Juric. Let’s hope all 3 can play because besides the offensive problems we also miss important players like Milanetto, Ferrari and Mesto next Sunday.

Today at 15.00 hours Genoa plays at home against number 7 Atalanta Bergamo. A difficult match, especially now because all supporters in Genova still are in 7th heaven because of the victory last week. The players have to be back on the ground to win this important match against a concurrent to reach European football.

Mr. Gasperini selected 19 players, including 16 years old striker of the Primavera-team Stephan El Sharaawy, who substitutes Olivera and Gasbarroni. The selection:

Goalkeepers: Rubinho, Scarpi

Defenders: Bocchetti, Criscito, Ferrari, Sokratis, Potenza

Midfielders: Brivio, Juric, Milanetto, Modesto, Rossi, Thiago Motta, Vanden Borre

Strikers: El Shaarawy, Jankovic, Milito, Palladino, Sculli 

Genoa has beaten Sampdoria by 0-1. The first victory in the derby since 5th November 2001 was decided by a goal of Diego Alberto Milito in the 50th minute. Genoa is now on the 6th place in the standings with 25 points, Sampdoria has only 16 points.

 

Mr. Gasperini started the derby in an unusual 4-4-2 system, but with the dream midfield: Rossi, Milanetto, Motta and Juric we already hoped last week during the hand over of our trophy to Omar Milanetto. Genoa was surely the strongest team in the field at the moment it was possible to play football, but mostly there was no space to play football. Referee Farina whistled 58 fouls and gave 11 yellow cards, 5 to Genoa and 6 Sampdoria players. The goal was a fantastic header of Milito out of a freekick of Omar Milanetto. After the goal Sampdoria scored 2 times in an off-side position which frustated Cassano and Co badly. Of course there was big happiness in Gradinata Nord, the visitors sector in the main stand and on the field at the moment referee Farina finally whistled after 5 minutes of extra time in the second half. Grazie Genoa !

Tonight the 81st derby takes place in Luigi Ferraris and hopefully again a peaceful one, because this makes the lighthouse derby the most special in the world. Idiots like Antonio Cassano try to create a violent atmosphere by saying stupide things in the media, but let’s hope the supporters of both teams have more brains than the ugly kid of Bari. 

Mr. Gasperini selected the following 20 players:

Goalkeepers: Scarpi, Rubinho

Defenders: Biava, Bocchetti, Criscito, Ferrari, Sokratis, Potenza

Midfielders: Brivio, Juric, Milanetto, Modesto, Rossi, Thiago Motta, Vanden Borre

Strikers: Jankovic, Milito, Olivera, Palladino, Sculli  

The following 8 players sure start in the line-up: Rubinho, Biava, Ferrari, Criscito, Thiago Motta, Juric, Milito and Sculli. The choice of the other 3 depends on the tactical system of Mr. Gasperini and his staff. Does he want to play with an extra defender (Sokratis), 3 or 4 midfieldplayers (Rossi, Milanetto, Van den Borre) and a real wingstriker (Palladino) or an offensive left midfieldplayer (Rossi) ? We all know it at 20.30 hours, Forza Genoa ! 

This morning the boss of the referees: Collina published the names of the referees for this weekend. The derby of Genova will be lead by the very experienced international referee Farina. The arbiter is born in Genova and lives now a little north in Novi Ligure. A few months ago Sampdoria player Cassano said that the players of Genoa have a white face of fear if they play against Sampdoria. It looks like he was wrong and mentioned his own supporters because Sampdoria supportersclubs this afternoon heavily protested against the choice of Farina. The referee should be a Genoa-supporter, which is usual if you are born in Genova, so we don’t see the problem. 

In the meanwhile it is almost sure that Genoa misses besides Matteo Paro also Giandomenico Mesto and Andrea Gasbarroni in the derby. Both are probably not healthy enough Sunday to play such an important match. Francesco Modesto is completely ready.