A quarter-of-an-hour into today’s game at the Renzo Barbera, deathly silence engulfed the pitch. The only sound which could be heard was Maurizio Zamparini furiously leafing through the ‘M’s in his contacts book. Rodrigo Palacio had given Genoa the lead, and Bortolo Mutti was on course for his third loss in four matches as coach of Palermo.
An hour later, the address book was shelved, and Devis Mangia was unpacking his suitcase, as Mutti had responded to last week’s ultimatum in emphatic style. For the first time in an awful long time, it was a stylish, superb victory from the Rosanero, as they knocked five past Sebastian Frey, winning 5-3.
It was the first time that Palermo had scored five in a Serie A match for three years, when they hammered Cagliari 5-1 in May 2009. Among the scores that day were Giulio Migliaccio and Fabrizio Miccoli, both of whom were on the scoresheet today and were the key to the emphatic result – the Sicilians’ first win since November last year.
The result lifts the Aquile into the top half of the table, and all of a sudden the threat of relegation looks somewhat more distant than this time last week. But, it was the manner of the win against Genoa which gives Palermo fans such reason to be cheerful. In particular, the first half performance was impressive – and probably the best football that has been witnessed at the Renzo Barbera all season, with the exception of a sloppy goal from the aforementioned Palacio, who nudged the ball past a hapless débutante Viviano after 14 minutes.
Palermo shaped up in their usual 4-3-1-2, with Ilicic playing as trequartista behind Budan and Miccoli. Migliaccio and Barreto partnered Massimo Donati in midfield, with the former Celtic and Bari man making his debut in the pink.
Donati was one of the stars of the show, with the tall midfielder playing a regista-type role. His passing was impressive and innovative, and seemed exactly the sort of player that Palermo needed so badly before his arrival this month. The 30-year-old said after the game that his teammates were in “a difficult period, the victory was essential.” He added: “We want to win, and we have a team of players who can do so much.”
Giulio Migliaccio was equally impressive, with the gladiatore providing his usual defensive steel, whilst also often being a creative force for the Rosanero, with some impressive passes. It seems that with the introduction of Donati, the Palermo midfield now has a rather nice balance, with a ball winner in Migliaccio, a playmaker in Donati and an all-rounder in Barreto.
As for Josip Ilicic, who has long frustrated Palermo fans with his below-par performances; today he was crucial to the Rosanero gameplan. With the injured Eros Pisano, centre-back Ezequiel Munoz has been filling in at right-back, and there’s been a distinct lack of chances created down that side. However, today, Ilicic frequently drifted out to a position on the right flank, before receiving the ball and crossing into the box. It was a successful solution to a big problem, and Ilicic had one of his best games of the season today.
As for the forwards, Fabrizio Miccoli showed just how much he means to Palermo, and how much trouble they’d be in without him. The captain was on phenomenal form, creating three goals and scoring one himself. He even managed to make Igor Budan look good! A sublime chip behind the Genoa defence found his strike partner, who nodded the ball past Sebastian Frey, levelling the match and scoring his first goal since February 2010.
Miccoli wanted a move to hometown club Lecce in the summer, and it seemed like it was a done deal. Fortunately, it never materialised. Who knows where the Rosanero would be now without their captain? Miccoli embodies the club, and showed today that he can still be an outstanding performer.
Without wanting to over-exaggerate, today’s game was massive for Palermo. However, this mustn’t become a one-off performance, and must be sustained. If they were playing a side who were better drilled when defending set pieces, the scoreline wouldn’t have nearly been as large. Genoa were poor on the whole, although that could be down to Palermo’s impressive display. Let’s hope they can repeat it next week, when Novara are welcomed to the Renzo Barbera. A win will certainly be expected.
For the chance to win a classic AC Milan or Inter jersey courtesy of IngenioStore.co.uk have a listen to your latest podcast right here.
Join Forza Italian Football on Twitter and Facebook.
