Genoa – «From today we start from scratch». He prefers to look ahead Alberto Gilardino and don't look back. What Genoa did in this first part of the season already belongs to the memories. Starters included. With Torino today at Ferraris “a new championship begins”, nineteen matches in which the rossoblù “will have to build brick by brick” a peaceful salvation without thinking about what happened in the first round and who left. «We wished Dragusin good luck but it already belongs to the past – explained Gilardino – my first thought is for the guys I have at my disposal. The bar has been raised, the teams fighting for survival are getting stronger and I have to think about the present, about my team which always wants to amaze and impress.”
For the rossoblù today at Ferraris against the former Juric there is a trial by fire to overcome. There is not only the need to avenge the defeat of the first leg which occurred in the final minutes but also the need to face in a “strong manner” a team fresh from a heavy 3-0 victory against the reigning Italian champions. Gilardino, among other things, arrives at the match with his men counted, especially up front. Which makes the grenade obstacle even more insidious to get around. «Ekuban, Puscas and Thorsby are out due to physical problems while Spence will not be in the match for bureaucratic reasons – Gila said again – on a numerical level we are in a bit of an emergency, it's a fact: in addition to Retegui I only have Fini in attack which is a 2006.” Together with Gudmundsson, therefore, the weight of the attack will fall entirely on the shoulders of Retegui who will return to the field from the first minute after two consecutive benches. «For me, Retegui is what we saw in the initial part of the season, it's normal for injuries to take something away from you – he adds – we expect much more from him but he's coming back: he has a lot of motivation». However, it will also be the first match that Genoa will play without Dragusin who until the last match was the most talented player in defense. His legacy will be taken by De Winter who will play in the 3-5-2 together with Bani and Vasquez. In midfield there is still room for Sabelli on the right out and Messias on the opposite lane while Malinovskyi seems to have overcome the physical ailment of the other day and is ahead of Strootman to complete the midfield together with the irreplaceable Badelj and Frendrup. In attack, together with the Italian-Argentine, there is room for the Icelandic Folletto.
«We have the need and the desire to go and counter blow for blow because only in this way can we put them in difficulty – explained Gilardino speaking of Toro – we face a quality team, created to stay at the top of the table also thanks to the choices that the coach can make from the bench». Something that today Gilardino will be forced to use sparingly. And this is where the market comes into play. «In January, in addition to Torino, we will face Salernitana, Empoli and Lecce, teams that will strengthen – said Gila – I speak and ask the director every day, in this period I prefer to be a little more “heavy” with him: I am the first to bother us, we need to intervene on the market and I trust that the company will do so.”
But the Marassi match will also be a trial by fire for Torino. After the 3-0 against Napoli, Juric will look for the impetus to take off at Ferraris, a stadium he knows well, to get a Toro team built with the ambition of looking upwards off the ground. Pressure that the coach has learned to understand, which is why he warned his team: «It will be a battle, we play against a team that hasn't lost at home since October and has stopped Inter and Juve in a heated environment». Going forward, Toro will rely on Sanabria and Zapata. Another bench for Pellegri, a transfer target for the rossoblù who today faces a past that could become his present again by the end of January. As we know, the market streets are endless.
#Today #GenoaTurin #Retegui #start
