Paulo Fonseca begins life with Roma at the Stadio Olimpico as Genoa travel to the Italian capital on Sunday evening, with the match due to start at 20:45 local time.
Probable Formations
Roma (4-2-3-1): Pau Lopez; Florenzi, Fazio, Juan Jesus, Kolarov; Cristante, Pellegrini; Under, Zaniolo, Perotti; Dzeko.
Unavailable: Pastore, Spinazzola
Genoa (3-5-2): Radu; Biraschi, Romero, Zapata; Ghiglione, Schone, Radovanovic, Lerager, Criscito; Pinamonti, Kouamé.
Unavailable: Agudelo, Pajac
Suspended: Sturaro, Saponara
Key Statistics
– Genoa’s last Serie A win against Roma was back in May 2014, under Gian Piero Gasperini. Since then they’ve registered eight defeats and two draws.
– After remaining unbeaten in their first four Serie A openers against Genoa (W2 D2), Roma have lost the last two such matches.
– Genoa have played more Serie A season openers against Roma than they have any other side (W2 D2 L2).
– Roma have won each of their last 13 Serie A games against Genoa at the Olimpico, their longest home winning run against a single opponent in the competition.
– Roma haven’t lost a Serie A game on Round 1 since 2011, collecting five wins and two draws without conceding any goals in the last three such matches.
– Genoa’s last win when starting a Serie A campaign away from home was back in 2010/11, when they beat Udinese 1-0.
– Shakhtar kept 23 league clean sheets (incl. playoffs) in 32 games played in the 2018/19 season under the new Roma coach Fonseca. Meanwhile, Roma kept just 10 in the last Serie A campaign.
– Genoa coach Aurelio Andreazzoli managed Roma between February and June 2013. He collected eight wins, four draws and three defeats in 15 games.
– Roma’s Alessandro Florenzi has scored three Serie A goals and delivered three assists against Genoa. They are the team against whom he has been directly involved in the most goals in the top flight.
– Genoa striker Andrea Pinamonti scored five goals in the last Serie A campaign. Only Moise Kean was younger among the players with at least five goals scored in the competition last term.
