The one on Sunday afternoon will be the tenth match between Genoa and Sassuolo at Ferraris. In the 9 previous matches played at Ferraris there were 4 rossoblù victories, 2 neroverdi and 3 draws. The goals tally shows Grifone ahead 14 to 11.
The last comparison dates back to 17 October 2021 (8th matchday). Ballardini’s Genoa, fresh from the narrow defeat in Salerno, is looking for redemption against the Emilians to move away from the bottom of the table but the start is a shock. The former Scamacca player, who doesn’t celebrate, scores Sirigu twice in the 18th and 21st minutes to bring the guests to a 2-0 lead. The Grifone, however, reacts and Destro with a header in the 27th minute closes the gap, fueling hopes of a comeback. In the second half, Genoa crushed their opponents, creating a lot and got a deserved equalizer in the 90th minute: corner kick from Rovella and winning strike from Vasquez under the North.
Emilian victory instead in penultimate intersection dated 9 May 2021 (35th matchday): Ballardini’s Genoa is almost safe while De Zerbi’s Sassuolo is still trying to win a place in the Conference League. The Emilians dominate and after a couple of chances they pass through Raspadori in the 14th minute although perhaps the action begins with a foul against Destro in midfield but the VAR does not intervene. Referee Mariani, however, following a report from Pairetto’s VAR room, annulled Zajc’s equalizer scored in the 28th minute due to a foul again in midfield but this time committed by Destro: so much for uniformity of judgement! In the second half Genoa tried, hitting the post with Goldaniga but doing harakiri with Masiello who in the 66th minute gave the ball to Berardi for an easy 0-2. Zappacosta’s great goal in the 85th minute only gives us illusions about the sensational comeback. For Ballardini’s Genoa, salvation was postponed to the following week with the victory in Bologna.
Things went much better on January 5, 2020 (18th matchday): Davide Nicola makes his debut on the Genoa bench (reinforced with the arrivals of Perin, Sturaro and Behrami) from second to last in the standings in place of the sacked Thiago Motta with an essential victory. A penalty from Criscito in the 29th minute (foul on Sanabria) gave Genoa the lead, but Sassuolo reacted and in the 33rd minute the former Dorian Obiang, thanks to a deflection, equalized the score. In the second half the guests also found the advantage with Djuricic but the VAR detected a handball and disallowed it. In the 86th minute, Genoa’s lightning counterattack with Pandev who, taking advantage of a rebound from the goalkeeper, heads the ball to score the final 2-1 (CLICK HERE TO SEE THE IMAGES).
The comparison of 3 February 2019 was tied (22nd matchday): 1-1 the final result with Emilia taking the lead in the 28th minute with Djuricic and Sanabria equalizing in the 41st minute.
The first intersection it is dated 6 January 2014, valid for the 18th day of the 2013/2014 championship. Genoa’s clear 2-0 victory was sealed right from the first half thanks to Gilardino’s penalty in the 28th minute and Bertolacci’s beautiful volley in the 45th minute. In the second half Grifone managed the 2-0, coming close to scoring a hat trick on several occasions: the most delicious one in the 89th minute when, again the centre-forward, he had another penalty saved by the Emilian goalkeeper Pegolo. Genoa regains victory after a five-day drought.
The second comparison dates back to 18 January 2015 (19th matchday). A pyrotechnic 3-3 with the Grifone down three times but always capable of reacting. The protagonists are Lestienne (author of the venial foul which cost the guest the 1-0 penalty scored by Berardi in the 19th minute but also two valuable assists for the beautiful goals by Iago Falque in the 25th minute and Fetfazidis in the 53rd minute) and Fetfazidis himself (author also the penalty that made it 3-3 in the 92nd minute). The other Sassuolo goals were scored by Missiroli in the 50th minute and again by Berardi in the 69th minute, capable of exploiting Izzo’s naivety.
The third challenge it is from 22 November 2015. Genoa dominates in the first half and comes close to taking the lead several times. In the 41st minute, a double expulsion: the one for Berardi for a mistake on Ansaldi was more than fair and the one for Perotti was absurd, guilty of having simply gone “hard-nosed” to reproach Berardi himself… In the second half, in any case, the Grifone legitimized the supremacy with Tomas Rincon’s first goal in Italy in the 51st minute. Everything happens in injury time: Acerbi equalizes in the melee in the 93rd minute and Pavoletti’s winning strike following Cissokho’s throw from the attacking midfield in the 95th minute. For Genoa it will be the last victory before a dark period (5 defeats in the league and one in the Italian cup) which will only end on January 10th with the victory in Bergamo.
The fourth crossroads dates back to 5 February 2017 (23rd matchday). Juric’s Genoa is in crisis (2 points won in the previous 7 games) and is looking for a relaunch victory against Sassuolo. Instead it ends 1-0 for the Emilians (Pellegrini in the 24th minute) with the rossoblu booed after a very dull performance (Grifone only dangerous with a crossbar hit by Gentiletti).
The fifth comparison it is dated 6 January 2018 (20th matchday, 1st return match). Ballardini’s Genoa finds 3 very precious points in the key to salvation thanks to the 1-0 achieved by Galabinov with a precise header in the 80th minute. A dull match with few emotions: only the former Matri tried to scare the Grifone before the Bulgarian’s goal, first engaging Perin in an amazing close-range save and then hitting the base of the post with a header.
Francesco Patrone
REPRODUCTION OF THE ARTICLE PERMITTED ONLY BY EXTRACT SUBJECT TO CITATION OF THE SOURCE: WWW.PIANETAGENOA1893.NET
