After a season of revolution at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, halting years of survival struggles, Genoa’s sixth-placed finish in 2014-15 was achieved with several individuals impressing in Gian Piero Gasperini’s mould-breaking tactical system.
Having gate-crashed and subsequently thrown out of the Europa League party, Genoa face a tough task to repeat the feat.
The Grifone mixed it with the big boys very well last time out, doing league doubles over AC Milan and Lazio while conquering Juventus at the Marassi. However, in typical fashion their strive to sixth was soured by administrative errors leading to their banning from European competition; a bitter blow compounded by their spot going to rivals Sampdoria.
Key players have departed and rivals are rising from the ashes, Genoa are another club seeing their best assets depart, and without Andrea Bertolacci, Iago Falque and co. have the Rossoblu lost their spark?
Transfers
It is the sales that have so far dominated Genoa’s summer. The Grifone will miss Bertolacci’s midfield dynamism, but their hands were tied as Roma made hay of the co-ownerships ending thanks to greater financial clout.
The Lupi were also able to pluck Spanish winger Iago Falque. Genoa’s top scorer in his first season, the 25-year-old was a revelation, proving himself at top-level football after years of mere promise. The Spaniard was primed for Gasperini’s 3-4-3 system and it will prove difficult to replace the pocket-rocket.
Add in Diego Perotti’s likely departure, another one season wonder being cashed in, and a good deal of attacking flair has been lost. Furthermore, after a solid season on lease from Fiorentina, Facundo Roncaglia leads the list of influential loanees that have moved on. The loan system has worked well for Genoa, but now they must do without the likes of M’Baye Niang, Edenilson, and Maximme Lestienne.
That said, loan signings may be key again; physical midfielder Olivier Ntcham arrives from Manchester City and there is talk of Juan Iturbe from Roma.
Worryingly, only one of the Grifone’s top eight scorers from last year could line up on matchday one, if Perotti is to leave. Left standing is Leandro Pavoletti, permanently signed from Sassuolo, and the Italian must continue the good form that saw him net five goals in the final five games of last season.
Genoa have also invested in the solid Ezequiel Munoz from Palermo, a free signing with bags of Serie A experience, and promising wing-backs from Nantes and Sevilla respectively, by the name of Issa Cissokho and Diogo Figueiras. Bolstering the attack is Serge Gakpe from the same French side, while experienced forward Goran Pandev could revitalise his career having arrived as a free agent.
Having dealt with last season’s January departures rather well, it is feasible Genoa can do the same with late swoops this August. This squad almost certainly won’t be finalised until the late hours of August 31, transfer deadline day.
The Coach
A well regarded, consistent performer, Gian Piero Gasperini’s CV is as shorn of failure as it is of trophies. Once again, the 57-year-old will employ his 3-4-3, positive brand of football to cause unique difficulties to his opponents.
Whether he will have the players to sustain this in a successful environment remains to be seen; the likes of Diego Milito, Thiago Motta, and now Iago Falque, are in the past and new stars must be expertly coached by Gasperini if they are to follow in the footsteps of such predecessors.
The Italian maintains that survival in Serie A is the priority, rubbishing talk of Europe after last season’s sixth-place, but perhaps this is a way of inciting last season’s no-pressure environment. If Genoa generate early momentum, Gasperini will begin to believe in gate-crashing Europe once again.
Season Expectations
The Grifone fans will expect to be competitive again this time out, if not to the heights achieved last time out. The difficulty in gauging their potential is matched by uncertainties surrounding their rivals; few would give them any realistic chance of finishing above either Milan clubs again, although the likelihood of Fiorentina, Roma or Lazio dropping off cannot be dismissed.
In the same vein, Sampdoria seem to have gone backwards, and thus the Rossoblu fans will expect to claim a victory over their city rivals for the first time since September 2013 when the sides meet. We can certainly expect the next chapter of the Ferrero-Preziosi feud in January’s Derby della Lanterna.
What will help is a defensive sturdiness, supplied by Sebastian De Maio, who was excellent last season, the up-and-coming Armando Izzo, and the calm heads of Nicolas Burdisso and Munoz. Furthermore, Mattia Perin is now a bonafide top-class goalkeeper, and will only get better.
Prediction
It will be a real struggle to hold onto sixth-place, given departures and Milan’s two resurgent rivals. Indeed, Genoa may lie outside the top-half altogether if the likes of Sampdoria, Torino and Udinese get their act together.
Something of an unknown quantity, there will be questions over creativity and cohesion for the early weeks of the season, at least, and a tough start awaits them thanks to early trips to Fiorentina and Lazio while Milan and Juventus come to the Marassi.
Ultimately, with a growing solidity and familiarity, Gasperini should be experienced enough to guide this Rossoblu squad into the top-half.
Expected finish: 9th (NB: this is not necessarily Marc Mayo’s opinion but the average of our editors’ predictions.)
