Genoa are still searching for that elusive win that would see them finally leave the bottom three and il Grifone hope the good showing at Giuseppe Meazza will keep them in good stead for the clash against Bologna. Felsinei were beaten at home by Parma and now need to try and make amends at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
Three new signings
Genoa have been in the danger zone from the very start to the season, but the general consensus is this team have got more than enough quality to avoid the drop. Following some very disappointing showings in the opening exchanges, the Rossoblu have shown a lot of improvement under Luigi Del Neri, but they have yet to record several good results in a row that would see them leave the bottom three. Everybody at the club hopes 1-1 draw with Inter at Meazza will be the start of a good run of results, and there are no doubts the players will be in good spirits after narrowly missing out on a victory over serious title contenders. With new players Eros Pisano, Matuzalem and Antonio Floro Flores already in contention, Genoa will have a good chance to escape the relegation zone with a win over Bologna, even if several important players will be missing.
Andrea Bertolacci misses out through suspension, while Cesare Bovo, Bosko Jankovic, Cristobal Jorquera and Damiano Ferronetti are out injured.
Important match for Bologna
Bologna are another side that have seen a number of important players leave the club in the summer transfer window, although they have signed some decent replacements. Felsinei were always going to have problems replacing the likes of Ramirez, Di Vaio, Mudingayi and Gillet, so nobody was surprised to see them slip into the danger zone. While doing fairly well at their Renato Dall’Ara, Bologna experienced huge problems on the road, losing six of first seven away fixtures in Serie A. The team then showed a lot of improvement to beat Napoli at San Paolo, but they then suffered a new blow having lost at home to Parma in the final match in 2012. With several important players missing the trip to Genoa, Bologna could face a very difficult task at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
Key midfielder Alessandro Diamanti is a major doubt, while Diego Perez is suspended and Cesare Natali is injured.
Verdict
Boosted by the good performance against Inter and the arrival of three new players, Genoa might just be able to sneak a victory here. Bologna are not at their best and the likes of Diamanti and Perez will be sorely missed at Luigi Ferraris. Don’t go crazy with the stake though.
Top pick: Genoa Draw no bet 1.65 (13/20) @ BetVictor
Alternative pick 1: Over 2.5 goals 2.10 (11/10) @ Betfair
Alternative pick 2: Home win 2.40 (7/5) @ William Hill