Struggling Genoa and Como meet at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Thursday evening in a crucial Serie A clash. Genoa recently secured their second league win of the season with a late goal, while Como continued to falter, suffering their fourth defeat in five matches.
The Grifone faced Parma in a tense encounter last Monday night, with both teams desperate for a win after failing to secure three points since August. Just when it seemed the match would end in a goalless draw, Genoa’s star forward Andrea Pinamonti found the net in the 80th minute, giving the Grifone a vital victory and bringing them level with Parma in the standings.
The win lifted Genoa out of the relegation zone and increased their points tally to nine. After finishing safely in mid-table last season upon their return to Serie A, they will aim to build on this momentum and secure their first home win at Marassi. Despite their recent success, they remain one of only two Serie A teams yet to win at home this season, alongside Monza.
Como, under head coach Cesc Fabregas, made several changes for their recent match against Empoli. However, this strategy backfired as they dominated possession but could only muster two shots on target, resulting in a disappointing 1-0 defeat. With only one point from their last five matches and having not won since September, Como are in dire need of a turnaround.
Defensively, Como have struggled significantly, conceding 22 goals at an alarming rate of two per game—only Verona have a worse record. Fabregas must address these issues quickly to avoid a swift return to Serie B.
Team News
Genoa head coach Alberto Gilardino continues to deal with an injury crisis that has plagued his squad. He made just one change for the match against Parma, bringing in Alessandro Zanoli for Stefano Sabelli. The same starting XI may be fielded against Como as key players such as goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini, Mattia Bani, Junior Messias, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Koni De Winter, Brooke Norton-Cuffy, and Vitinha remain sidelined.
Caleb Ekuban and Mario Balotelli are also struggling for fitness. As a result, Pinamonti is likely to be supported by teenage striker Jeff Ekhator once again. Pinamonti’s decisive goal against Parma brought his tally to four league goals this season.
On the other hand, Cesc Fabregas is expected to revert to his strongest side after resting several key players in the last match. Nico Paz, Patrick Cutrone, and Emil Audero are likely to return to the starting lineup. However, Como will still be without Sergi Roberto and Ignace Van der Brempt due to injuries. Luca Mazzitelli (calf) and Maximo Perrone (muscular) are also doubts for this match.
Expected Starting XIs
Genoa: Leali; Matturro, Vogliacco, Vasquez; Sabelli, Thorsby, Badelj, Frendrup, Martin; Ekhator, Pinamonti
Como: Audero; Goldaniga, Dossena, Kempf, Moreno; Engelhardt, Braunoder; Strefezza, Paz, Fadera; Cutrone
Match Prediction
While it may not be an aesthetically pleasing match, Genoa’s recent victory has provided them with some much-needed confidence. With Como still searching for answers and struggling for form, the long-suffering fans at Stadio Luigi Ferraris should finally see their team rewarded with three points.
Prediction: Genoa 1-0 Como
