We have all the pre-match preamble you need as Roma host Genoa in the last-16 of the Coppa Italia on Thursday night (kick-off: 21:00 CET)...

GENOA

League position: 3nd in Serie B
Head coach: Alberto Gilardino
2022-23 top scorer: Massimo Coda (six)

RECENT FORM

ROMA: L D D W D
GENOA: L W D W W

Roma boss Jose Mourinho will have been delighted with his side’s stirring late comeback that salvaged a draw in Milan last weekend and will be hoping that same spirit carries over into cup action on Thursday.

It seems probable Mourinho will make use of his squad and rotate his team to at least some extent, with winter arrival Ola Solbakken possibly in line for a club debut.

This will be Genoa’s first competitive fixture of the New Year, with their last outing a 2-1 win at Bari in Serie B on Boxing Day.

That was their fourth game since 2006 World Cup winner Gilardino took charge of the first team, and they are unbeaten under his stewardship - collecting three wins and a draw.

Possible Genoa line-up

(4-3-2)

Martinez; Hefti, Dragusin, Bani, Sabelli; Jagiello, Strootman, Frendrup; Aramu, Puscas, Gundmundsson

LAST MEETING

DANGER MAN
Albert Gudmundsson

While veteran striker Coda is the club’s top scorer, the 34-year-old went six games without a goal prior to the winter break and he may well start from the bench at the Stadio Olimpico.

Gudmondsson, meanwhile, struck in each of Genoa’s last two games in 2022 and both of those proved to be match-winning efforts.

The Iceland international will likely be stationed from the left of the front-three, while Giallorossi fans will also have an eye on a player in the midfield trio behind Gudmondsson & Co.

Kevin Strootman made his Serie A debut with Roma over nine years ago before going on to make 102 appearances for the club and the 32-year-old will now return to the capital with the Grifone.

MATCH STATS

This will be the 10th Coppa Italia meeting between Roma and Genoa; the Giallorossi have won five of the previous nine, the Girfone have claimed three victories and there was one draw at this stage of the competition in the 1990-91 edition.

Roma have been imperious against Genoa in recent years and the Giallorossi are currently unbeaten in 16 fixtures against their midweek visitors (W12, D4). They have also collected three clean sheets in a row.

Genoa have not advanced from the round of 16 in any of their last 14 attempts at this stage of the Coppa Italia.

The Serie B outfit have particularly struggled on their travels in the cup as Genoa have won just one of their seven most recent such matches (W1, D1, L5) and they have conceded three times in each of their last two.

PLAYER STATS

• Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini has scored three goals in his last four Coppa Italia outings and has provided two assists for his teammates across his last four appearances against Genoa.
  
• Stephan El Shaarawy (21 November 2008) and Eldor Shomurodov (19 October 2020) both made their Serie A debuts as Genoa players.
  
• Paulo Dybala has scored at least 10 goals in all competitions against three teams; Genoa (10), Lazio (110 and Udinese (12).
  
• Bryan Cristante has been involved in four goals against Genoa in Serie A - only against Sassuolo (seven) has he contributed more against a single club in Italy’s top flight.

WHAT THEY SAID

I made my Serie A debut with Genoa, I have very special memories of this club. We are all fans in the family and I spent my younger years in the academy there. It will be special night for me.

"[Winning the Coppa Italia]'s certainly an objective for us. It’s a competition that shouldn’t be underestimated. We must face it with great seriousness and show desire to get to the end of it."

- Ligurian El Shaarawy ahead of facing his old club