Andriy Shevchenko’s return to Serie A 4,552 days after his last game as a player pits his Genoa side against Roma at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. It’s time to preview the game and take a look at the expected lineups.
Genoa’s underwhelming start to the season saw the club cut ties with Davide Ballardini during the international break and appoint Shevchenko as their new chief of staff. After steering Ukraine to their first-ever European Championship quarter-finals in the summer, the ex-Milan hero has another uphill task on his hands.
In the meantime, newly-promoted Venezia caught Roma cold on the stroke of the November international break, inflicting a come-from-behind 3-2 win on Jose Mourinho’s side. Though he’s painted his early managerial days in the capital with flying colors, the Special One has started to feel the heat on the back of his side’s dip in form.
Genoa vs Roma Head-to-Head
Roma’s trip to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris could serve as a perfect starting point for a much-needed comeback. The Giallorossi have avoided defeat in their last 14 Serie A matches against Genoa here (W11, D3), their longest ongoing unbeaten away streak in the competition against current top-flight sides.
But after keeping two clean sheets in their three Serie A visits to Genoa between December 2014 and January 2017, Roma have conceded precisely once in their last four league games here. That’s in line with their lackluster defensive performances of late, as they’ve failed to register an away shutout in Serie A since a 4-0 thumping of newly-promoted Salernitana in August.
Home and away, Roma are unbeaten in their last 14 top-flight encounters against Genoa (W11, D3) since losing 1-0 at home in May 2015. The Giallorossi completed a league double over the Rossoblu in 2020/21, a feat they’ve achieved four times in the past ten years.
Genoa Form Preview
Ballardini paid the ultimate price for Genoa’s thoroughly disappointing start to the new league campaign that has seen them win just one of their opening 12 Serie A fixtures (D6, L5). Sitting level on points with 18th-placed Sampdoria, the Rossoblu take the field winless in their last nine league matches (D6, L3).
Much of Genoa’s form problems this season have emanated from a fragile backline that has let in 2+ goals in nine of their 12 Serie A games so far. They can at least find some comfort knowing that only 37.5% of their total league goals conceded this term have come on home turf (9/24).
Meanwhile, Genoa’s attacking set-up usually bursts into life after half-time, with a clear majority (88.24%) of their Serie A goals scored so far coming in the second half of play (15/12).
Despite their form wobble, there’s a good omen here, as new boss Shevchenko never lost a top-flight home match against Roma as a player (W3, D3). Burdened by expectations of a fast turnaround, the Ukrainian will be gunning for another positive outcome against familiar foes.
Roma Form Preview
After going unbeaten in back-to-back Serie A games towards the end of October (W1, D1), Roma have lost their last two league outings, conceding the opener within 30 minutes on both occasions. A patchy form in the early exchanges has seen the Giallorossi fall six points behind fourth-placed Atalanta, meaning another failed attempt to land all three points could add more pressure on Mourinho.
The capital-based giants have yet to draw a Serie A match on the road this term (W2, L4), with their last five such games yielding a full-time margin of a single goal. Any hopes of getting back to winning ways may hinge on Roma’s ability to open the scoring. Mourinho’s men have developed a habit of rolling over after falling behind, losing five of the six Serie A fixtures when conceding first this season (W1).
Only relegation-threatened Salernitana (0) have netted fewer goals inside the opening 30 minutes of play than Roma (1) this term. Hence, there’s no surprise that the Giallorossi have conceded the opener in five of their six Serie A travels to date.
Genoa vs Roma Predicted Lineups
Genoa (3-5-1-1): Salvatore Sirigu; Andrea Masiello, Johan Vasquez, Zinho Vanheusden; Davide Biraschi, Milan Badelj, Stefano Sturaro, Nicolo Rovella, Andrea Cambiaso; Pablo Galdames; Goran Pandev.
Roma (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio; Gianluca Mancini, Marash Kumbulla, Roger Ibanez; Rick Karsdorp, Bryan Cristante, Jordan Veretout, Stephan El Shaarawy; Lorenzo Pellegrini, Henrikh Mkhitaryan; Tammy Abraham.