Genoa’s hot start to the season, four wins in their first six matches, saw the Grifone riding high on the back of their Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek. A quick dip in form saw their first coach Davide Ballardini get sacked which was followed by a quick stint by Ivan Juric, before Cesare Prandelli took over and guided them to survival.
It was certainly a season of ups and downs for the Rossoblu but it may result in president Enrico Preziosi’s realization that stability is a key factor to club’s success in Serie A.
Player of the season: Domenico Criscito
Domenico Criscito returned to Genoa last summer after leaving them for Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2011. The Italian has been steady at the back and made 36 appearances in all competitions. His defensive prowess and attacking contributions, two goals and four assists, made all the difference in their Serie A survival during what was a disappointing season.
Best signing: Krzysztof Piatek
Although Krzysztof Piatek only spent half the season with Genoa there was no signing that made an impact like him. He scored 19 goals and provided one assist in 21 appearances, with and had the team sitting in 14th place when he left. Genoa made a €30.5 million profit on his mid-season move to AC Milan which makes the signing even sweeter.
The Coach: Davide Ballardini/Ivan Juric/Cesare Prandelli
Genoa went through three coaches this season, starting with Davide Ballardini, before returning to the almost ever-present Ivan Juric, then settling in with Cesare Prandelli. Each had different styles and different systems, but Ballardini seemed to get the most out of the squad after their hot start to the season. Prandelli did just enough to keep them up which deserves credit after Juric’s tough run of form.
Memorable Moment
It has to be Criscito’s last gasp winner against Lazio. The ball popped out to him on the edge of the box in the 93rd minute and he hit it sweetly enough to rifle it into the far bottom corner. The emotion at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris was palpable and those extra two points ended up saving them from relegation.
The Bad
Their low point this season was seen from March onwards. They only registered one win during this time and needed a last day draw against Fiorentina to scrape past Empoli in the Serie A table to avoid relegation. Their two coaching changes and disappointing finish to the season put a damper on the positive start to the campaign.
