Genoa manager Alberto Gilardino was visibly elated following his side’s 1-0 win over Monza. Genoa’s away victory, courtesy of Andrea Pinamonti’s goal, has propelled them to an impressive four points from their first two league matches.
In his post-match interview, Gilardino expressed his satisfaction: “I’m exhausted after that second half, but happy with what the lads gave on the pitch. I saw a willingness to sacrifice and awareness; they excelled again tonight. The first half was balanced, though we could have been more clinical in the final third. We did well to find the lead at the end, and I must say, it was a great goal from Pinamonti. The lad didn’t have much playing time, so it was an excellent sign for us.”
Gilardino continued his analysis: “In the second half, we dropped deeper and defended brilliantly, even with the added height Monza brought on. There was a strong desire to see out the game. Pinamonti was exhausted; he couldn’t go on, perhaps he did too much for his first game. Besides the goal, he worked hard defensively, so I’d say he did well. In the second half, we could have countered better to land the knockout blow, instead we suffered until the end. You need to know how to suffer and have the desire to play. I’m pleased with the performance; the lads gave everything. Many had cramps; the team spent their energy well.”
However, not all news was positive, as Gilardino revealed: “Bani had a thigh problem, which we’ll evaluate in the coming days. Zanoli also had an issue with his flexor, which is why, if you noticed, I moved Messias to right-back in the final stages. Pre-match, the director spoke about the transfer market being closed, but we’ll make assessments this week based on the extent of tonight’s injuries. We still have Norton-Cuffy, Ankeye, and Matturro out. We recovered Marcandalli this week. We’re trying to get everyone to 100%. I hope it’s nothing serious and they can recover as soon as possible.”
Gilardino concluded by praising Pinamonti once more: “I’m happy for Pinamonti. To arrive and score is great for a striker; it’s the lifeblood for those who play in this role. I also talked to him about what to do in the non-possession phase, but the decisive goal for us and for him is everything.”
