Following an enthusiastic performance with three victories in their five Serie A games before February (D1, L1), Genoa have since slipped in the standings due to a draw and a loss. They first faced a 2-1 defeat against Fiorentina, then a 1-1 stalemate with Torino. In each match, Genoa found themselves behind by half-time, ultimately unable to recover and thus losing crucial points.
Manager Patrick Vieira will likely highlight to his squad that both of these setbacks occurred away from home, while their record at Stadio Luigi Ferraris has been significantly stronger. They have triumphed in their last two home fixtures and suffered just one defeat in their last six (D3). Impressively, those two wins were achieved with clean sheets, presenting Genoa the chance to secure three consecutive Serie A home victories without conceding for the first time since February 2010.
Venezia, who are battling relegation, hope to upset the celebrations while stuck in the bottom three and enduring a seven-match run without a win (D3, L4). Their struggles are evident both at home and on the road, with Eusebio Di Francesco’s squad being particularly weak away from home, as they remain the only Serie A team yet to secure an away league victory this season (D4, L8).
The Winged Lions will look to their manager for motivation, given his strong record against Genoa, losing just four of 16 managerial meetings (W8, D4). This history could fuel their hope to achieve a first-ever Serie A double over Genoa, having already won the reverse fixture 2-0. However, since that victory on matchday five, Venezia have played 19 league matches and have conceded in every single one, a troubling pattern for the team.
Key players to keep an eye on: Andrea Pinamonti from Genoa has consistently been the pivotal player for his team, having netted the initial goal in each of his last 14 scoring appearances. He will face a challenge from Gianluca Busio, who opened the scoring in the 63rd minute the last time these teams clashed, with eight out of his last ten goals occurring post-interval.
Interesting fact: Genoa have managed to score only once in the first half across their previous ten Serie A games.
