Football Season Guide

Having failed to repeat the wonders shown in the previous campaign, last season Genoa had to content themselves with a quiet safety. Not so quiet was the end of the love story between coach Gasperini and his supporters, though. The man at the helm, on and off for almost a decade, eventually left for Atalanta, disappointed for the violent misbehavior of the members of Genoa’s Curva Nord. President Preziosi could not have found a better substitute as a coach than Ivan Juric, whose career as a player had ended at the club and who had also started coaching there. Fresh from a triumph in Serie B with Crotone, the Croatian is expected to bring the team back to the top 10 of the league. It will not be easy, though, considering that several regulars left during the summer. Suso and Cristian Ansaldi, in particular, had left a deep mark in the attack and in defence respectively. Ocampos, on loan from Olympique Marseille where he had little playing time last season, could represent a valid replacement for the Spaniard while Gentiletti, provided he has fully recovered from last year’s injury, should be Ansaldi’s substitute at centre-back. Great news is the return of Miguel Veloso after a few years in Russia. He should fill the hole left by Dzemaili, flown back to Turkey. With the league about to start, there is still some uncertainty over the permanence at the club of key players like Perin and Pavoletti. Their departure could seriously weaken the squad and jeopardize their ambitions. Juric, who adopts a 3-4-3 formation quite similar to the one beloved by Gasperini, will thus hope for them to remain at the club. If so, the lineup could be the following: Perin in goals with Izzo, Gentiletti and Burdisso at centre-backs. Rosi and Laxalt, or Renzetti, would be acting on the flanks of the midfield with Rincon and Veloso in the middle of the park. The forward three would be composed by Ocampos, Pavoletti and, possibly, Lazovic.