Genoa vs Fiorentina prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2023-08-18 18:45.
After a dismal 2021/22 Serie A (SA) campaign resulted in relegation, Genoa must be commended for instantly bouncing back and regaining their top-flight status with a runners-up finish in Serie B last season. A campaign-long struggle to survive potentially awaits, and getting the maximum points on the board early isn’t something they’ve made a habit of, considering Genoa have won their opening SA match only twice in their last nine top-flight campaigns (D2, L5).
A complete contradiction is seen when looking at the Griffins first home match of a SA season, where they’ve won five of their last seven such games (L2). The Stadio Luigi Ferraris faithful ought to be in good spirits due to that positive trend, and after seeing their troops win a back-and-forth Coppa Italia tie against Modena 4-3 to open their 2023/24 campaign, they’re usually entertained too.
Mentioning the Coppa Italia to a visiting Fiorentina fan might bring a tear to their eye, having lost last season's final before also falling short of the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) crown. The Viola then very nearly concluded last season with nothing to show after a fruitless eighth-place finish in SA, until UEFA’s suspension of Juventus from any continental competition this season has granted them another crack at the UECL.
Manager Vincenzo Italiano therefore has a tough task to improve on his team's achievements last season, made all the more difficult with the departure of top-scorer Arthur Cabral to Benfica. What is certain is Fiorentina’s all-or-nothing approach to start a new league campaign recently, with none of their last 12 SA openers ending in a draw (W7, L5).
Players to watch: Genoa’s star summer signing Mateo Retegui netted a brace on debut in the Coppa Italia, meaning he’s now scored his side’s opener in his last six goalscoring outings. Meanwhile, Fiorentina may rely on the experience of Giacomo Bonaventura who’s set to make his 350th SA appearance, winning each of the last nine matches he’s scored in.
Hot stat: The same half-time result has been replicated come full-time in 11 of the last 13 H2Hs.