Category: News

Diego Milito beats Ravenna in Coppa Italia 2-1

Diego Milito after one of his goals against Ravenna in Coppa Italia

Genoa is qualified to play in the 1/8 finals in San Siro against Inter. Cupfighters Ravenna took the lead in Luigi Ferraris in the 58th minute by a goal of Pettinari: 0-1. Mr. Gasperini immediately reacted and brought Diego Milito in the field to substitute Jankovic and 11 minutes later he also changed Vanden Borre with Raffaele Palladino. The substitutions were succesful: in the 80th minute Milito scored the 1-1 equalizer and in the 94th and last minute our Prince also scored out of a cross of Palladino the winning goal: 2-1.   

[youtube MDYLnOtMGMQ]

Mille grazie to Danygrifo and Zenarossoblu for making the video of the goals !!

Tomorrow 18.00: Coppa Italia Genoa-Ravenna

Sokratis Papastathopoules, 22 years old Greek defender

In these times full of Serie A, Champions League and Uefa-cup Genoa has to play tomorrow-evening at 18.00 hours in the fourth round of the Italian cup against Serie C-1 team Ravenna. In the third round Genoa beat Mantova with 3-1 by goals of Olivera (2) and Milanetto. Ravenna has beaten Serie B-team Rimini (by penalty’s) in the second and Palermo (1-2) on Sicily in the 3rd round, so we can say they are real cupfighters.

Mr. Gasperini and his staff selected the following 20 players:

Goalkeepers: Rubinho, Scarpi

Defenders: Biava, Bocchetti, Criscito, Ferrari, Sokratis

Midfielders: Brivio, Cofie, Domingo, Juric, Mesto, Modesto, Roman, Rossi, Vanden Borre

Strikers: Jankovic, Milito, Olivera, Sculli

Because Genoa plays Sunday the important homematch against Napoli it is expected that tomorrow the substitutes will play against Ravenna. The expected line-up is: Scarpi; Sokratis, Biava, Bocchetti; Mesto, Roman, Vanden Borre, Brivio; Jankovic, Olivera, Sculli.

Good playing Genoa lost in Florence: 1-0

The goal of Alberto Gilardino

On this website we hardly never speak about referees, but sometimes we have to. Here in Holland the whole week the newspapers still are full of referee Braamhaar who refused to give visitors Ajax a clear penalty and a few minutes later gave hometeam Feyenoord a very dubious penalty in the battle of Holland last Sunday. Last Wednesday Genoa was lucky when referee Brighi annulated a regular goal of Panucci and yesterday referee Rosetti (the best in Italy they say ?) let Gilardino score the only goal while he was in off-side position. He also refused to give Milito a penalty in the 93rd minute. The explanation of all of these moments is very easy: the referee always helped the hometeam with the very passioned fans. We can now easily prove that the public can help you to win points.

Mr. Gasperini gave Biava, Juric, Modesto, Sculli and Milito rest yesterday and started with Sokratis, Bocchetti, Vanden Borre, Olivera and Palladino in the line-up. Unless the 5 substitutions the team played a good match and was unlucky that goalkeeper Frey of Fiorentina had an incredible good reaction on a shot of Milito in the 2nd half and referee Rosetti did not whistle when Gilardino scored in off-side position in the 60th minute.

   Palladino irregulary stopped by Donadel of Fiorentina

Milito back in Argentinian national-team

Diego Milito celebrates one of his goals against A.S. Roma

Mr. Gasperini did it again ! After the selection of Marco Borriello last year in the Italian national-team now his substitute Diego Milito is selected to play again in the Argentinian national-team. The Southamerican team plays at Saturday 11th October in Montevideo against Uruguay and Wednesday 15th October in Santiago against Chili. Our 29 years old central forward (who already joined Genoa from January 2004 till August 2005) played already 14 matches and scored 4 goals in the Argentinian team.

Genoa bought Milito at (or just after) the last minute of the transfer-period. The door of the office of the Italian Football Association was already closed at the moment the signed contract arrived by fax, but Genoa’s technical director Fabrizio Preziosi waited for the contract inside the office of the Football Association while the manager of Milito: Federico Pastorello through the contract over the wall towards him.

See the video: http://www.sportmediaset.it/calcio/video/video1962.shtml

Vanden Borre back in Florence with Motta

Anthony Vanden Borre is since January with Genoa

With 3 topmatches in 6 days Mr. Gasperini  has to change the team at some positions tonight at 20.30 hours against Fiorentina. The rumours say that tonight Vanden Borre, Jankovic and Sokratis start in the line-up to give players like Juric, Sculli and Biava some rest. Mr. Gasperini left Potenza (arrived this summer from Fiorentina, but is injured), Paro (training to get in condition after his heavy knee-injury), Gasbarroni (slightly injured) and Figueroa (probably returns to Argentina) in Genova and went by coach to Toscany with the following 21 players:

Goalkeepers: Lamanna, Rubinho, Scarpi

Defenders: Biava, Bocchetti, Criscito, Ferrari, Sokratis

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

Forwards: Jankovic, Milito, Olivera, Palladino, Sculli 

Stadio Artemio Franchi of Florence

Genoa gets the support by over 2.000 redblue fans tonight in Stadio Artemio Franchi. 

Prince of Genova beats emperor of Rome: 3-1

Milito celebrates his goal with Sculli (scorer of the first goal) and Palladino

Last year Genoa played a fantastic first season in Serie A after 12 years in B and C-1, only a victory against at least one of the 4 big clubs (Inter, Roma, Juventus and Milan) failed. This season Genoa had to play the first 2 homematches against 2 teams of the big 4: Milan and Roma. A very difficult opening of the season also because Genoa has a lot of new players that have to learn the typical Dutch way of football of Mr. Gasperini, but we also have Diego Alberto Milito back in the team ….

As published on our website Tuesday Mr. Gasperini also selected the not completely recuperated Andrea Gasbarroni, the motor of Genoa against Milan. Everyone including coach Spaletti of Roma was surprised that Gasbarroni not only was inbetween the selection of 18 players, but also started in the line-up. Within 3 minutes the very fast and technical player sent a beautiful cross towards Giuseppe Sculli who surprised experienced defender Riise and goalkeeper Doni and scored the first goal. 

Giuseppe Sculli surprises Bjarne Riise and goalkeeper Doni and scores 1-0 after 3 minutes

Of course Roma was awake after the goal and they honestly were the rest of the first half the best team in the field. In the 28th minute Daniele de Rossi scored the deserved equalizer by heading in a very dubious free-kick. Till half time Genoa saved the 1-1.

In the second half Genoa played a lot more pressure and did not longer walk back towards the own penalty-area if Roma attacked and so a very nice match on a high level with 2 equal teams was created. After 55 minutes Andrea Gasbarroni was substituted by Raffaele Palladino who showed why he is one of the biggest talents of Italy. In the 61st minute Milito scored the leading goal: 2-1 when he reacted perfectly on a header of Juric. As a real goalscorer Milito was at the right moment at the right place and he scored this difficult opportunity easily. Only 5 minutes later everyone thought that Panucci (again an ex-player of Genoa) scored the 2-2 equalizer but the goal was irregular annulated by the linesman because of off-side. Roma was frustated which was the sign to Palladino to dribble around Daniele de Rossi who kicked him and got his 2nd yellow, so red card. The match still was not played, but in the 87th minute a perfect cross of Palladino was scored by the Prince of Baires (Argentina): Diego Milito, again at the right place at the right moment: 3-1. The match now was over and Genoa booked the 2nd victory against a team of the big 4 and Milito is the topscorer of Serie A: 4 goals in only 3 matches.

[youtube H48Nqowij7o]         

Mr. Gasperini selects also Andrea Gasbarroni

Diego Milito after his first goal of the season against Milan (2-0)

Only 3 days after the match aginst Palermo a big opportunity to Genoa to forget the defeat in Sicily. Last year Genoa was both times very unlucky against Roma. In Luigi Ferraris we lost by a goal of ex-Genoano Panucci in the 90th minute (0-1), while in Stadio Olimpico Genoa came back after 2-0 in the first half till 2-2 (Rossi and Leon). Just before the end referee Banti helped the topteam of Rome with a very cheap penalty that was scored by Daniele de Rossi (3-2).

Mr. Gasperini selected the following 20 players for tomorrow’s-match:

Goalkeepers: Scarpi, Rubinho

Defenders: Biava, Bocchetti, Criscito, Ferrari, Sokratis

Midfielders: Brivio, Juric, Mesto, Milanetto, Modesto, Rossi, Vande Borre

Forwards: Jankovic, Gasbarroni, Milito, Olivera, Palladino, Sculli

 Gentleman Gian Piero Gasperini asks justice of referee Banti
  

Again beaten by ex-player: Palermo wins 2-1

Diego Milito and Ruben Olivera just after the last missed the equalizer in extra-time.

Again Genoa lost at Sicily and again the deciding goal was made by an ex-player, this time Cesare Bovo who returned to Palermo this summer after he was hired to Genoa last season. To be honoust: Palermo deserved the victory, but with a ball on the crossbar of Milito (who also scored the goal of Genoa in the 89th minute) and a failed big opportunity of Olivera in extra-time we could draw.

As expected Mr. Gasperini started with Raffaele Palladino in the line-up, but he did not play as good as Gasbarroni last week. But Raffaele surely was not the only one who could not repeat the level of the match against Milan. While Palermo was the best team in the field it was Diego Milito who hit the crossbar with a fantastic shot in the 33rd minute. Six minutes later Cavani scored the opening-goal: 1-0. In the 59th minute ex-player Cesare Bovo doubled the score with a great shot of 30 meters. Just before the end of the regular playtime Milito scored the 1-2 after a cross of Modesto. While Genoa did not really deserve it, in the extra-time Ruben Olivera missed a great chance to score the equalizer.

Diego Milito and Cesare Bovo who both scored today    

Raffaele Palladino: this is your moment

Raffaele Palladino in the third bluewhite outfit of Genoa this season

The man of the match last Sunday aginst Milan, Andrea Gasbarroni, is not healthy enough to play 3 matches in the next 7 days (tomorrow Palermo-Genoa, Wednesday Genoa-Roma and next Saturday Fiorentina-Genoa), so probably tomorrow Raffaele Palladino makes his debut in the line-up. The 24 years old striker already played some minutes against Catania and Milan but both matches Gasbarroni started in the line-up. The rest of the team, including Juric, is in good condition.

Yesterday Genoa sold seasonticket number 22.500, so the all time record of 23.125 in the Uefa-Cup season 1991-1992 is nearby. Since the arrival of Diego Milito 19 days ago Genoa sold over 3.000 seasontickets which means over 150 every day.

  Milanetto scores the second goal last year against Palermo (2-3 victory)

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