Month: February 2008

Andy, Bart, René and Hans had a fantastic weekend unless the unfair result of the match. Of course we prefered a victory, but that’s football: sometimes you lose while you did not deserve it. On the other hand we can be happy that we do not have an irritating player like Ca$$ano, because at the end teamspirit always beats the individual fool.

    

                           

Saturdaynight we had a great dinner with 30 friends (including 7 weeks old Pietro, see leftunder on the 1st foto) in the fantastic Genovese restaurant: Locanda Spinola. The (regional) food was very good, just as the atmosphere. We thank Luca and Federica to organize the very nice party, A.C.G. because of the beautiful present, photographer Andy and all the friends to show up !!

 

Despite the fact there was only a choreografie at Distinti the atmosphere in and around the stadium was perfect. Unless the late goal in the 87th minute all the fans respected each other and stayed friendly. This makes the Genovese derby one of the best in the world and is the reason why Genoa has fans all over the planet! The best player in the field was without any discussion Abdoulay Konko, our 23 years old allrounder. He was the only one that could stop Ca$$ano and with him almost every attack of Genoa started.

As you can see on the picture Genova is completely red and blue. After the 0-0 draw in the first derby of this season, this weekend is the return with Genoa playing at home. Like our friendly coach Gian Piero Gasperini already said this morning: in the field we have to play to be the best team, but with the fans it is sure: Genoani are the best !!

Genoa surely misses banned Santos + Sculli and it is almost sure that also Milanetto and Wilson can not play because of injuries. It will be a problem to Mr. Gasperini to decide which strikers he puts in the line-up. Borriello for sure, but who is the other one or are the other two: Figueroa (scored against Atalanta the winning goal), Di Vaio (scored last week against Livorno) or the returned Leon? Problems of a good coach with a good team !

This weekend also Genoa Club Amsterdam celebrates their 10th anniversary in Restaurant Locanda Spinola in Genova. Let’s hope with the dinner starts a fantastic weekend, being for at least 6 months the boss in the city and in the field.     

This afternoon Marco di Vaio saved Genoa in the 83rd minute by scoring the equalizer at the moment we played only with 10 players after the red card of Santos. In the first half Genoa was the best team in the field, but in the 15th minute at the only moment Livorno went forwards Tavano scored: 1-0. Already after 28 minutes Mr. Gasperini brought De Vaio in the team and in the second half also Sculli and Figueroa, raising the number of strikers in 4. Genoa also in the second half was the best team in the field, but after Santos got his second yellow card in the 75th minute we all were frightend that Genoa would return to Liguria without points. Genoa is now on the 9th position in the standings with 29 points.

Genoa coach Gian Piero Gasperini won’t feel alone tomorrow in Livorno. Our very friendly coach selected 22 of his total 24 players to go to Livorno, which means that 4 of them have to watch the match in the stadium tomorrow. Only 3rd goalkeeper Lanza and Brasilian striker Wilson (injured) are not selected. The 22 players:

Goalkeepers: Rubinho, Scarpi

Defenders: Bovo, Criscito, De Rosa, Ghinassi, Konko, Lucarelli, Santos

Midfielders: Danilo, Fabiano, Juric, Masiero, Milanetto, Paro, Rossi, Vanden Borre

Strikers: Borriello, Di Vaio, Figueroa, Leon, Sculli    

Around 2500 Genoa-supporters travel 187 kilometers on the A-12 tomorrow to reach Livorno the team of old-Genoa president Spinelli. Both Rubinho and Sculli have to keep their minds cool, because a yellow card of referee Romeo means that they have to miss the derby next week.

Our topscorer Marco Borriello yesterday played the last 20 minutes with Worldchampions Italy against Portugal in Zurich, Switzerland. It was Marco’s first match in the Italian national team and he deserves it being the Italian player with the most goals in Serie A. Italy did win the match by 3-1. The last Genoano in the Italian team was Gennaro Ruotolo (our Genoano of the year 1998-1999) 17 years ago. Besides Borriello also Mimmo Criscito (Italy) and Anthony Vanden Borre (Belgium) played this week with their national team below 21 years against Holland and Germany .

   

All the newspapers are sure: tomorrow for the first time Borriello and Figueroa start together in the line-up of Genoa. Mr. Gasperini doesn’t have many alternatives at the moment because Leon is injured, Sculli has some fysical problems, Wilson is still waiting at the transferdocuments from Brasil and Di Vaio was out of the team the last weeks.

Mr. Gasperini went this afternoon with the following 19 players in the Sheraton hotel near Genova-airport Cristoforo Colombo to prepare for tomorrow’s match: 

Goalkeepers: Scarpi, Lanza

Defenders: Bovo, Criscito, Ghinassi, Konko, Lucarelli, Santos

Midfielders: Danilo, Fabiano, Juric, Masiero, Paro, Rossi, Vanden Borre

Strikers: Borriello, Di Vaio, Figueroa, Sculli