Genoa v Lazio: preview

Suspended Cristian Ledesma and Aleksandar Kolarov won’t travel to Genoa. The Argentinean will miss both the trip to Liguria and the home match against Inter Milan. For this reason, a pair of former Brescia players will step in at Marassi. Roberto Baronio, who only played 4 minutes while Reja was in charge, will act as a playmaker. Simone Del Nero instead will deputise on the left flank and Lazio should still play with five in midfield. Morale is quite low as you’ll imagine. Supporters tried to cheer the players up after the defeat against Roma. Sergio Floccari (who scored most penalties this season in a Genoa shirt) has been terribly upset all week for that miss. All in all, losing that derby was possibly the worst feeling in a lifetime for a Lazio supporter. Francesco Totti again pointed downwards with his thumbs to wish Lazio relegation and then apologized (because his sponsors probably advised him to do so). The gesture just resulted in a 20,000 euros fine. Even José Mourinho claimed it was unfair for the Portuguese was suspended three games for the handcuffs sign. Some might say that Paolo Di Canio (who said Totti gesture was normal and understandable) did the same jeering when celebrating in 1989 and 2005 but at least he celebrated for something that he did. The Roma playmaker played one of the worst games of his career, so much so he was substituted with De Rossi at half time. Simply the two situations can’t be compared.
Genoa’s season has been very good so far. After conquering a place in the Europa League last season – the first in more than a decade –, they are back for more European football. Valencia only managed to slander the Rossoblu ambitions on the very last game of their Europa League campaign in December. Gasperini’s team now lay eight, three points behind Juventus and four adrift of a European finish. They won their last game in Parma 3-2, recovering immediately from the derby defeat against Sampdoria. Ivan Fatic (just 1 goal in 7 games) netted the winner. The Montenegrin is the proof that Coach Gasperini always applies the same tactics, but likes to field different interpreters every time. It will suffice to say that Genoa is the team that managed to score with 18 different players – more than any other team in the League – made the most substitutions (102) and managed to score 10 times (only Cagliari did better) when a player entered the pitch. Getting to know every week how Gasperini will field his starting eleven is almost impossible. Besides, there’s always a secret weapon ready to shoot. The Grifoni are second just to Lazio and Livorno for what concerns the number of players employed (31). But while the lack of stability has almost led Livorno to relegation and Lazio hanging to a thread, this wasn’t the case for Genoa. Their manager wants to make everyone feel useful in different circumstances and situations. Only defender Giandomenico Mesto and forward Giuseppe Sculli have played more than 30 games in Serie A this season.
At Stadio Luigi Ferraris only Inter and Bologna got away with all the three points (last season only Inter and Lazio did it). Genoa has not beaten Lazio at home since 1991/92 season, when Tomas Skuhravy scored the winner. In that same season Genoa went on to reach the Uefa Cup semi-finals, where only Ajax denied them an all-Italian final against Torino.

It’s quite stunning to highlight that Lazio has won on four of their last five visits in Genoa and that the Rossoblu (the team with the third best attack in the league) never managed to score in the last two encounters.
1992/93 Genoa, 2 – Lazio, 3
1993/94 Genoa, 1 – Lazio, 1
1994/95 Genoa, 1 – Lazio, 2
2007/08 Genoa, 0 – Lazio, 2
2008/09 Genoa, 0 – Lazio, 1

Reja’s men are looking for only their first double of the season.

FORM GUIDE

Genoa
April 18 v Parma (A) - WON 3-2 (Serie A)
April 11 v Sampdoria (A) - LOST 1-0 (Serie A)
April 3 v Livorno (H) - DREW 1-1 (Serie A)
March 28 v Siena (A) - DREW 0-0 (Serie A)
March 24 v Palermo (H) - DREW 2-2 (Serie A)

Lazio
April 18 v Roma (H) - LOST 2-1 (Serie A)
April 11 v Bologna (A) - WON 3-2 (Serie A)
April 3 v Napoli (H) - DREW 1-1 (Serie A)
March 28 v Milan (A) - DREW 1-1 (Serie A)
March 24 v Siena (H) - WON 2-0 (Serie A)


TEAM NEWS
Genoa
Jankovic, Suazo and Rossi are out, Palacio, Acquafresca, Zapater and Scarpi are doubtful and Dainelli is suspended.

Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Scarpi, Papasthatopoulos, Bocchetti, Moretti; Mesto, Milanetto, Zapater, Criscito; Palacio, Acquafresca, Palladino

Lazio
Stendardo, Meghni, Manfredini, Matuzalem, Bizzarri and Foggia are out and Kolarov and Ledesma are suspended.

Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Muslera, Biava, Dias, Radu; Lichsteiner, Brocchi, Baronio, Mauri, Del Nero; Rocchi, Floccari