Ahead of Genoa’s challenging away fixture against Atalanta, manager Alberto Gilardino addressed the media from the team’s training retreat in Veronello. The Rossoblu are looking to bounce back after a difficult week that saw them suffer three consecutive defeats across league and cup competitions.
Gilardino began by discussing the team’s preparation: “We’ve had the opportunity to stay united these past few days and see a team eager to give continuity to the work done in recent months, with a desire to redeem themselves, put in a good performance, and maintain a positive attitude. This is our intention for tomorrow’s match as well.”
Addressing the recent string of injuries, Gilardino explained, “We’re short-handed at the moment. It’s difficult to pinpoint the causes. Looking at individuals, you might think of Badelj playing his third match in a week, or Frendrup who hasn’t stopped for a year and a half between national team duties, travel, training, and matches.”
The manager acknowledged the current challenges: “When I spoke of a difficult moment, I was referring to losing in Venice in that manner, exiting the Coppa Italia in the derby, and then losing at home to Juventus… we’ve had better weeks. We’re a very angry team, we’re pissed off about how these days have unfolded.”
Gilardino emphasized the need for resilience: “In these moments, when everything seems to be going wrong, we need to have clarity and calmness, remembering that tomorrow is only the seventh matchday. We’ve changed a lot. Young players have arrived, and patience is needed. At the same time, we must be responsible in this moment.”
Regarding tactical approaches, Gilardino stated, “At this moment, it’s not so much about the numbers but the interpretation we want to give, how many duels we want to win, and the competitive spirit we have when we defend in our half of the field, without making mistakes. This makes the difference.”
When asked about the upcoming opponent, Gilardino was full of respect: “Atalanta is a complete team in every aspect. They have a truly dynamic way of playing, great physicality, players who can determine the outcome of a match, and players with pace on the flanks. They’re a team that gives you a headache, but at the same time, we want to battle against a team that will play a different kind of championship, but we want to be in it and try our best.”
In conclusion, Gilardino rallied his troops: “It’s natural that in this moment we need to put on our helmets, there will be battles to fight, and we need great determination and even more maximum attention within the game in taking care of the details. We can see that what we’re doing is not enough, and we need to pay more attention to details and particulars.”
