Genoa vs Fiorentina – News and Probable Lineups

Genoa and Fiorentina, both struggling in the Serie A this season with only one league win between them, will clash at Marassi on Saturday afternoon in search of a much-needed victory.

While Fiorentina has shown resilience following a quick managerial change, their hosts, Genoa, are in dire straits with just one point this season.

Match overview

This season marks only the third instance in their history where Genoa has gathered a mere one point after five Serie A matches, placing them deep in the relegation zone.

Indeed, the Grifone have not tasted victory in their last 10 top-flight fixtures since April, which is their longest drought in five years, increasing the pressure on head coach Daniele De Rossi.

They concluded the international break with a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Parma and find themselves just above newly promoted Venezia in the standings.

While several players were away on international duty, De Rossi’s team also faced a loss to Rapid Bucharest in a friendly last Friday, once again showing vulnerability in defense.

All 10 goals conceded in Serie A have come from open play, with Genoa’s only clean sheet being in a Coppa Italia match against second-tier Sudtirol.

Having not secured a league win against Fiorentina for over seven years, the Rossoblu supporters have little to cheer about at this time.

During this stretch, Fiorentina hasn’t lost to Genoa in 11 league matches, indicating they may continue their positive trend.

After a rocky start to the season under Fabio Grosso, who was dismissed after just four matches, Paolo Vanoli’s return has resulted in two consecutive victories and seven goals scored.

Vanoli previously guided Fiorentina to safety as the interim manager last season, and his second stint began with a 4-2 league victory over Venezia, followed by a Coppa Italia success against their Tuscan rivals Pisa.

Before the break, they managed a 1-1 draw against Napoli at Stadio Franchi, marking a solid start for Vanoli, but leaves his team in 17th place in the Serie A table.

However, improvements are needed as only bottom-placed Venezia have conceded more goals; Fiorentina’s tally of 12 matches their worst record at this stage of any season since 1992-93.

Team News

The international break has allowed Genoa to regain some players, as Junior Messias, Alex Amorim, and Tommaso Baldanzi have all returned to full training, and captain Johan Vasquez is also back from suspension.

However, Lorenzo Colombo, Elias Havel, and Ethan Meichtry are all unavailable, with Meichtry suffering a hip injury while with the Swiss Under-21s.

With Colombo out due to an ankle injury sustained in the friendly against Rapid Bucharest, Milutin Osmajic is expected to lead the attack for the Rossoblu.

Mateo Pellegrino will aim to hold off competition from Beto for a role in Fiorentina’s front line, having found the net in three of his last four matches.

Pellegrino’s fellow countryman Franco Mastantuono ranks joint-second for shots in Serie A this season, with eight of his 22 attempts hitting the target, and is likely to start on the right flank.

Pedro Goncalves, Willy Gnonto, and Alieu Njie are all competing for the other wide position; after both impressed at various age levels for Italy, Nicolo Fagioli and Cher Ndour are likely to partner in midfield.

The only long-term absentee is Fabiano Parisi, providing Vanoli with a wealth of choices.

Genoa probable starting XI:

Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vasquez; Ehizibue, Frendrup, Sow, Ellertsson; Baldanzi; Vitinha, Osmajic

Fiorentina probable starting XI:

De Gea; Jimenez, Dragusin, Ranieri, Viery; Ndour, Fagioli, Atta; Mastantuono, Pellegrino, Njie

Fiorentina are not without their flaws, but Genoa’s porous defense has been a significant liability for several months now.

The home advantage may not be sufficient for the Grifone, and another defeat could jeopardize De Rossi’s position.