Catania vs Genoa preview - Portanova eyes Catania scalp

Posted Saturday, October 05, 2013 by PA

Genoa will be hoping to finally get their season going at Catania on Sunday in what will be Gian Piero Gasperini's first match in charge since returning to guide the Grifoni.

The Liguria club sacked Fabio Liverani after Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Napoli, their fourth loss of the campaign, and re-appointed Gasperini in his place.

Genoa captain Daniele Portanova hopes the team can turn things around quickly under the former Inter Milan and Palermo coach.

"The atmosphere at the club is good," he said. "We have given our maximum support to our coach just as we had done with Liverani.

"We will see what changes take place.

"We have an important group and we will prove this on the pitch.

"The game at Catania will not be easy but we are not going there with the mentality that we are already beaten."

Gasperini, who led the Rossoblu to promotion from Serie B in 2007 and guided them for three seasons in Serie A before being sacked in November 2010, is ready to get to work.

"It feels as though I am coming back home," Gasperini said. "Three years have gone by since I left and I return to see a different situation which gives me a lot of motivation to do well."

Genoa have won just once this season and are level on four points with Sunday's rivals.

Catania go into the contest inspired by last weekend's 2-0 victory over Chievo.

The result was their first win of the season and lifted the Sicilian outfit out of the relegation zone.

"This win is very important," said Catania coach Rolando Maran. "But it will be of little use if we don't give continuity to this result.

"There's no point in taking a step forward to then take two steps back."