Genoa defeated Juventus 2-0 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Wednesday, with goals from Ehizibue and Baldanzi handing Daniele De Rossi the first win of his coaching career against Luciano Spalletti, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The result leaves Juventus eighth in Serie A, 11 points behind the league leaders and six adrift of the fourth place that brings Champions League qualification.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Genoa's victory lifts the club to five points clear of the relegation zone, a position it will hold for at least 24 hours. For Juventus, the defeat is a third of the season and leaves the side level on 14 points with Napoli, who visit on Sunday evening.
Why it matters
The match carried weight beyond the standings because of the relationship between the two coaches. De Rossi said before kick-off that Spalletti, after his own father, had influenced him more than any other coach, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. On the pitch, the pupil's side delivered what the source describes as a lesson in organisation, character and aggression — the very qualities Spalletti had said his Juventus lacked after the recent heavy loss to Lazio.
La Gazzetta dello Sport frames the evening as the lowest point of Spalletti's tenure. A year ago, the paper notes, he took over a Juventus side sitting six points from the top and three from fourth place and spoke of a possible title challenge. Wednesday's result leaves his team with a far steeper climb, and Sunday's meeting with Napoli — almost exactly 365 days after his debut — is described by the source as critical to the club's season and, by extension, to the coach's future.
Genoa's fast start and a Juventus side without answers
De Rossi changed six starters from the team that beat Venezia three days earlier, bringing in Marcandalli, Ehizibue, Frendrup, Amorim, Baldanzi and Vitinha in place of Otoa, Mitaj, Traoré, Wiafe, Messias and El Shaarawy, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. Spalletti, still missing nine players through injury and unavailability, made only minimal adjustments: Sarr came in for Koopmeiners alongside Douglas Luiz in midfield, and Alajbegovic replaced Woltemade behind Kolo Muani.
Genoa took the lead in the 12th minute. According to the source, Baldanzi combined with Vitinha on the short side of the penalty area, and with Douglas Luiz failing to track him, the midfielder delivered a low cross that reached Ehizibue at the far post. His shot took a deflection off Cambiaso that prevented Vicario from intervening. La Gazzetta dello Sport notes it was the latest example of Juventus conceding to an opponent's first shot on target, a pattern that produced 16 such goals last season.
The source reports that Juventus offered little in response. Gatti repeatedly pushed up into the centre-forward position, a detail the paper reads as a sign that the team's structure was not working, and a series of crosses yielded only corners. The visitors' sole first-half shot on target came from Alajbegovic from outside the area, comfortably gathered by Bijlow.
Genoa doubled the lead in the 28th minute. Kalulu, as the last defender, let a bouncing ball run and was dispossessed by Vitinha, who bore down on goal, beat Cambiaso on the edge of the area and squared for Baldanzi. Bremer's deflection diverted the ball past Vicario, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Genoa nearly added a third before the break. Frendrup led a breakaway after a Douglas Luiz error, but Osmajic did not anticipate the through ball and it rolled across the face of goal. In first-half stoppage time, Kalulu shot wide from close range after a McKennie assist, in what the source calls Juventus's only genuinely unpredictable move of the opening period.
Spalletti's changes fail to shift the contest
Spalletti made two changes at half-time, replacing Gatti and Alajbegovic with Zhegrova and Woltemade, and switched to a shape with two strikers and McKennie on the flanks, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The source reports that the adjustment changed little: Genoa continued to defend deep, win duels and break forward, while Juventus struggled to create from open play. McKennie's through ball early in the second half was not controlled by Kolo Muani in front of Bijlow.
Further substitutions — Boga and Cabal for Sarr and Cambiaso with 31 minutes remaining — also had limited effect, per the source. Juventus's best moments came late: Koopmeiners, himself a substitute, struck the crossbar from a free kick in the 92nd minute, and Bijlow then saved from Lucumì.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the win was De Rossi's first against Juventus as a coach. The paper credits Genoa's performance to the aggression and commitment De Rossi has instilled, qualities it says have been absent from Juventus for too many months.
Attention now turns to Sunday, when Juventus host Napoli at 14 points apiece. La Gazzetta dello Sport describes that fixture as decisive for the club's season and for Spalletti's position.
