With Roma back from the international break and headed to Genoa on Saturday (kick-off: 20:45 CET), we have all the pre-match preamble you need as Jose Mourinho goes up against his former player Andriy Shevchenko...

GENOA

League position: 17th
Head coach: Andriy Shevchenko
Serie A top-scorer: Mattia Destro (6)

RECENT FORM

GENOA: D L D D D
Roma: D W L D L

Having picked up just one victory all season, Genoa parted company with Davide Ballardini prior to the international break and hired legendary former Ukraine striker Shevchenko in his place.

The 2-2 draw at fellow strugglers Empoli on Matchday 12 was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Ballardini, and it is Shevchenko - making his debut in the Genoa dugout - who is now tasked with steering the club away from relegation.

It’s fair to say Roma haven’t quite hit their straps in recent weeks and the defeat at Venezia - where they held a 2-1 lead at half-time - was a raw result to take.

Mourinho’s side have had since, however, time to regroup and victory at the Luigi Ferraris could see them move back into a top-four spot.

Possible Genoa line-up

(4-3-3)

Semper; Sabelli, Masiello, Vasquez, Cambiaso; Behrami, Rovella, Badelj; Kallon, Pandev, Ekuban

LAST MEETING

DANGER MAN
Nicolo Rovella

The 19-year-old Italy Under-21 international has been Genoa’s creative spark in midfield this season, coming up with three league assists to top the charts for his team in that department.

It’s this kind of creativity that Juventus hoped he would unlock when they signed him in January before loaning him back to the Grifone.

Rovella is likely to either operate as the third man of a three in midfield or slightly more advanced role in a three behind the striker and Shevchenko will be delighted to have such a talented young player at his disposal.

His battle with the base of Roma’s midfield could be a key one.

MATCH STATS

Genoa's last win against Roma in Serie A was back in May 2014 and they have drawn three and lost 11 times to the Giallorossi since then.

Roma’s run of 14 top-flight matches without a defeat to Genoa (W11, D3) is Serie A’s longest active unbeaten run.

Adding to their recent dominance in this fixture, Roma have won five and drawn two of their last seven away league games against Genoa.

Not only have they drawn more games than any other Serie A side this season (six, including each of their last three), but Genoa also boast the longest current winless run in the competition (nine games: D6, L3).

PLAYER STATS

• Mourinho coached Shevchenko at Chelsea, where the Ukrainian netted four goals in 31 Premier League games for the English club under Mourinho’s tenure between 2006 and 2007.
  
• Domenico Criscito’s next appearance will be his 250th match between Serie A and Serie B for Genoa, but the defender - who is also one goal away from 50 for the club and has made 499 total appearances over his entire career - is expected to miss out through injury.
  
• Tammy Abraham could become only the second English player to score at the Luigi Ferraris stadium since Serie A introduced three points for a win. He would follow in the footsteps of David Platt, who last bagged at the ground for Sampdoria in May 1995.
  
• Francesco Totti is this fixture’s record scorer, with seven goals in all competitions against Genoa.

WHAT THEY SAID

“This is a very important moment in my career as a coach. Genoa are an important club, this is a project I care about and the number one objective for us right now is to be in Serie A again next season. This is the oldest club in Italy and that means something. I hope to remain here for a long time.”

- New Genoa head coach Andriy Shevchenko following his appointment