Milan-Genoa Preview: Bewitched

This was supposed to be our first game of the season. But due to a tragedy, we are playing it on Halloween. Which is kind of creepy, really, a haunting memory of that horrific tragedy. But also strange due to the bewitched luck Milan has when tragedy occurs. We always seem to have an advantage before the tragedy, and then lose that advantage (and sometimes more) by the time our game is rescheduled. That is definitely the case with Genoa, between our beleaguered performances and their change of coaches and related improvement in form.

Always in our hearts

Over the international break, Genoa sacked Ballardini and brought back Ivan Juric, who had done so well for them in the past. They came off of the break to a 1-1 draw with Juventus, the only Serie A team to take points from the unstoppable zebras so far this season. This past weekend, they drew 2-2 to Udinese, which left them sitting in 10th place, with this game in hand. For the Udinese match, Juric lined up Radu; Biraschi, Romero, Criscito; Pereira, Romulo, Sandro, Lazovic; Bessa; Kouame, and the ridiculously bewitched striker Piatek. Romero saw red in that match, so will be unavailable for this match.

In other haunted news, Gattuso lost Caldara to a ligament injury, he will most likely be out through December. Bonaventura and Calabria are in doubt due to recent injuries. Conti is likely to be called up, but unlikely to play until he has featured with the Primavera. Strinic, of course, is always in our hearts as he strives to heal his own heart. But perhaps the worst current injury is to Milan’s mentality. The win on Sunday was crucial for confidence, but having not kept a single clean sheet in Serie A this season seems to be sandbagging the team and their performances.

Bewitched.

Both teams have a lot to play for, and this three points has been the bewitching game in hand for ten weeks now that could bump either team up or down the table. While Genoa have the angels of those who were lost in the tragedy to play for, Milan are the devils, and Genoa have to come to our house. So let’s hope the fact that we are playing in hell on Halloween gives us enough of an edge to claim those three points and creep up the table to where we need to be.

This post inspired by the music of INXS’s “The Devil Inside”

Serie A Week 1 (makeup match)

Milan vs. Genoa

Wednesday, October 31 • 8:30pm CET (3:30pm EDT)*

This match can be streamed on ESPN+ in the U.S.

*Note the time difference due to the end of European Daylight Savings