Tomorrow 21.00 Coppa Italia: Inter-Genoa

Diego Milito against Inter in San Siro

Tomorrow Genoa plays in the 1/8 finals of Coppa Italia against Inter. Our coach Mr. Gasperini don’t want to take any risk with sligthly injured players, so Milito and Motta stay in Genova to prepare for the match Sunday in and against Lecce. The team that beat Fiorentina yesterday in Florence, so we are now 5th in the standings.

Mr. Gasperini selected the following 21 players for tomorrow:  

Goalkeepers: Lamanna, Rubinho, Scarpi
Defenders: Biava, Bocchetti, Criscito, Ferrari, Sokratis
Midfielders: Cofie, Juric, Mesto, Milanetto, Modesto, Roman, Rossi, Vanden Borre
Strikers: El Shaarawy, Jankovic, Lazarevic, Olivera, Sculli

The winner of Inter-Genoa plays Wednesday 21st January at home against A.S. Roma. 

Fantastic Genoa beats friends of Toro: 3-0

Genoa-players celebrate the 2nd goal of Jankovic against Toro

Tonight Genoa played a fantastic match against our friends of Torino and scored 3 times by head. With the strikers Sculli, Olivera and Jankovic in the line-up the Rossoblu-boys started immediately offensive and very powerfull. In the 18th minute Genoa deserved a corner after a good combination of Jankovic and Olivera that was stopped at last by a defender of Toro. The corner was strongly headed in by Biava who did not give ex-Sampdoria goalkeeper Sereni any change: 1-0. Despite several chances to double the score, the first half ended with only 1 goal difference.

In the second half the match was over after only 3 minutes when Jankovic headed a fantastic cross of Sculli in the net: 2-0. Just as in the first half Genoa created many changes with fantastic football before Thiago Motta headed again a corner behind Sereni in the 85th minute: 3-0. Our Brasilian midfielder got injured by this goal, so Omar Milanetto came into the field to play the last minutes in which Genoa also could have scored a fourth and fifth goal. As a matter of friendship with Torino we all can be happy that the final score stayed 3-0. Man of the match without any doubt: Bosko Jankovic.

Thiago Motta scores the 3rd goal against Torino

Genoa-Toro: pitch is ready, Diego Milito not

The pitch of Luigi Ferraris, Thursday 8th January 2009

As expected the weather got better and already Thursday the missing 1/3 part of the grass arrived in Genova. This afternoon the team of Mr. Gasperini trained on the new pitch and everybody was happy to play finally on a good and green field.

Mr. Gasperini does not have as much problems as last month against Chievo because half of the 10 missing players are back in the team: Ferrari, Mesto, Milanetto, Roman and Sculli. The other 5: Paro, Potenza, Gasbarroni, Palladino and Milito are still injured. Because it is not 100% sure that our 2 Brasilians: Rubinho and Thiago Motta can play Mr. Gasperini selected 20 players, including the youngsters Lamanna and El Shaarawy:

Goalkeepers: Lamanna, Rubinho, Scarpi

Defenders: Biava, Bocchetti, Criscito, Ferrari, Sokratis

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

Forwards: El Shaarawy, Jankovic, Olivera, Sculli  

Rubén Olivera scores the second goal against Mantova

Snowproblems maybe block Genoa-Torino

Luigi Ferraris, 07-01-2009

As written before the field of Luigi Ferraris gets new grass these days after complains of the players of Genoa, Sampdoria and the Italian Football Association. Yesterday 2/3 part of the field was covered with new grass when it started to snow. Also today it snowed in the North of Italy, so the truck with the last part of the new field could not leave Milano. At last Friday-morning the last 1/3 part has to arrive in Genova to give the workers enough time to put it on the field before the match starts Saturday at 18.00. Tomorrow there is expeceted a little snow in the North of Italy, Friday and Saturday it will be cold, but Sunny.

Genoa draws in Livorno: 3-3; Milito stays !!

Ivan Juric against Livorno, 06-01-2009

Today Genoa played a friendly in and against Livorno (Serie B) and draw by 3-3. Genoa took 3 times the lead by goals of Jankovic, Rossi and Olivera, all in the first half. Genoa missed the long time injured Paro, Gasbarroni and Palladino and the slightly injured Milito, Rubinho and Vanden Borre, which 3 hopefully can play against Torino Saturday.

Last days the rumours said that Inter wants to buy Diego Milito as a substitute of Adriano. Today our president Mr. Preziosi said, just as a few weeks ago when Real Madrid wanted our topscorer, that Diego is not for sale and he doesn’t answer any more questions about this subject. Mr. Preziosi is tired of the questions about Milito, just as all Genoa-fans !

The derby-goal of Air Milito

1.000 fans present at first training in 2009

1.000 fans at 1st training on 2nd January 2009

Today Mr. Gasperini and his staff started the 2nd half of the season. All the European players and Rubinho were present at the Pegli trainingsfield while the other South-Americans: Milito, Motta, Olivera and Roman have to start tomorrow-afternoon. Tuesday Genoa plays a friendly match in and against Livorno (Serie B) to prepare for the match against Torino that opens Saturday at 18.00 hours the Serie A in 2009.