Genoa CFC Flourishing Under Daniele De Rossi
As the final whistle blew on Sunday 25th January there was relief, passion and a very happy fanbase. Genoa came back from 2-0 down at home to Bologna in a crazy game, Bologna had goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski sent off for a final man challenge. That red card changed the complexion of the game. Just over forty minutes later, Genoa won the game 3-2 thanks to a dramatic winner from Junior Messias. Daniele De Rossi celebrated by running onto the pitch. That win over Bologna took Genoa to the heady heights of thirteenth in the Serie A standings, six points above the relegation zone which the final spot is occupied by the Viola of Fiorentina.
Fast forward to the opening round of action on matchday twenty-three just five days later. Genoa travelled to Rome to take on Lazio in a subdued Stadio Olimpico. Lazio ultras boycotted the game because of there owner Claudio Lotito. Lazio raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to a penalty from Pedro from the penalty spot after a handball on Aaron Martin. Kenneth Taylor made it 2-0. But just like last week, Genoa under Daniele De Rossi side have a never say die attitude.
They ulled it back to 2-2 first from the penalty spot after a handball from Mario Gila which was missed by the referee and went to VAR. Ruslan Malinovski fired home the penalty. Vitinha made it 2-2 after Malinovski hit the post from a corner. But a dagger through the heart, Lazio were awarded a penalty deep into seven minutes added time, Leo Ostigard handled after Justin Bijlow saved a Petar Ratkov header. Danilo Cataldi made no mistake from the penalty spot to send the fans happy in near-empty Stadio Olimpico.
But it was not all rosy in Genoa, Patrick Vieira was sacked after matchday nine, a 2-0 home defeat to Cremonese which left the club winless after the first nine games of the season and bottom of the Serie A standings. Genoa only wins under Patrick Vieira were in the Coppa Italia in the opening two rounds of the competitions. Both Vicenza and Empoli were defeated at the Marassi.
The writing had been on the wall for Patrick Vieira for weeks and weeks, one of the final nails in the coffin before the Cremonese game was the 0-0 home draw to Parma. Genoa missed a dramatic last-minute penalty. Maxwell Cornet had his penalty saved by Japanese Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. Genoa had twenty-three shots on goal that game and had an XG of 2.22. Parma had one shot all game and had a XG of 0.05.
Genoa’s next victory would come in the next matchday ten away at Sassuolo, Roberta Murgita Genoa technical coach took charge of the game and won 2-1 thanks to a dramatic injury time winner from defender Leo Ostigard. It took ten Serie A games and finally Genoa had their first league win of the season and finally elevated the club of the bottom of the table.
On the 6th of November 2025, Genoa announced Daniele De Rossi as the new club head coach on a contract until June 30th, 2026, with an option if the club avoids relegation to Serie B. Both De Rossi and Genoa have not looked back with the appointment. De Rossi has brought in a different mentality from his playing days for Roma, Italy, and later Boca Juniors. Which has come across to his players, and you are seeing a different Genoa from before under Patrick Vieira.
The formation and tactical shape have been changed, under Patrick Vieira Genoa were playing a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3. Under De Rossi he has changed to a 3-5-2 to what most of Serie A is playing this season and its getting results. Under Daniele De Rossi, Genoa were unbeaten in there first four Serie A game under him with two wins and two draws. His first game in charge was against Fiorentina which was eighteenth vs twentieth in the standings as the Viola were rock bottom of Serie A.
The game ended 2-2 and there was a nice embrace in the post-match press conference as Edin Dzeko who was at Fiorentina came into to embrace his former AS Roma teammate. A draw the following week away at Cagliari where Aaron Martin gave Daniele De Rossi side a share of the spoils with an eighty third minute equaliser in a six-goal thriller. Back-to-back wins over Hellas Verona and Udinese was sandwiched between a Coppa Italia exit to Atalanta 4-0.
The final three games of 2025 ended all in defeats against Inter, at home to Atalanta where they were down to ten men after just three minutes after goalkeeper Nicola Leali was sent off for a last man challenge on Daniel Maldini. Atalanta would struggle to break down a resolute Genoa defence but got the goal in the fourth minute of added time when Isak Hien headed home from a corner.
The final game of 2025 was an away trip to the capital to take on Roma; it was De Rossi first time back at the Olimpico after being sacked in September 2024. It was an emotional return with Roma winning the game 3-1. De Rossi after the game went around the pitch clapping the fans and went under the Curva Sud to thank the fans.
The start of 2026 had been good for Genoa before the Lazio defeat with five games unbeaten. Two draws to start the year with a home draw against Pisa and an away draw at the San Siro against AC Milan. Genoa had the chance to take all three points away from the San Siro but missed a ninety-nineth minute penalty with Romanian attacker Nicolae Stanciu firing his spot kick into the crowd behind the goal. Mike Maignan mind games worked. A 3-0 home win over Cagliari followed with a 0-0 draw at Parma. Then as mentioned the dramatic back-to-back 3-2 games against Bologna and Lazio.
Daniele De Rossi has come in and steadied the ship at Genoa, they were looking down to Serie B, and it looked a sorry state of affairs. De Rossi record since coming in is seventeen points from thirteen games with four wins, four defeats and five draws. Genoa have looked a better more solid outfit under De Rossi. His team has showed his characteristics as he did as a player. Grit, determination and a never say die attitude.
In the transfer window which does shut in a few days, De Rossi has made some shrewd accusations in Dutch goalkeeper Justin Bijlow from Feyenoord for €2.2m. Tommaso Baldanzi has arrived on loan from Roma with Lorenzo Venturino going the other way in a loan swap deal. Alexsandro Amorim has joined Genoa from Portuguese side FC Alverca in a deal worth €7m. Genoa will have to do the best to keep hold of Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Jeff Ekhator has both players are attracting interest from England and other Serie A club for Norton-Cuffy and Saudi Arabia for Ekhator.
In a short space of time, Daniele De Rossi has done an excellent job at making Genoa harder to beat. Installing a winning mentality that was lost under them at the beginning of the season. They have all the tools to be safe now in Serie A, they are only a few wins away from the magic of the forty points that is needed to survive in Serie A.
By: Scot Munroe / @scot_munroe
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Fabio Rossi / AS Roma