Patrick Vieira (foto: Getty Images)
Patrick Vieira has transformed Genoa in just over a month, lifting the team from the relegation zone to 13th place with impressive results under his guidance.
Patrick Vieira’s tenure at Genoa is off to a flying start, as the French coach has managed to reignite the team’s fortunes. When Vieira took over, Genoa were hovering just above the relegation zone. Now, a little over a month later, the Grifoni have climbed to 13th place after a series of solid performances.
In the six matches Vieira has overseen, Genoa have lost just once—against title-contenders Napoli. Today, they secured their second league win under Vieira, defeating Empoli away with a hard-fought 2-1 victory, which also brought them level on points with their opponents.
When Vieira arrived at Luigi Ferraris, Genoa had amassed just 10 points in 12 matches. In half that time, Vieira has nearly equaled the tally of his predecessor, Alberto Gilardino. Under his leadership, Genoa have earned a draw against Cagliari, Torino, and Milan, and victories over Udinese and now Empoli.
Genoa took the lead just after the break when Milan Badelj capitalized on a defensive error by Empoli to score early in the second half. Empoli missed a golden chance to equalize when Sebastiano Esposito failed to convert a penalty. Fifteen minutes later, Caleb Ekuban doubled Genoa’s lead. While Esposito later made amends with a header to halve the deficit, Empoli couldn’t avoid their third consecutive loss, despite late pressure.
Meanwhile, Parma secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Monza, thanks to a goal deep into stoppage time. It was a disastrous day for Monza, who have now lost four games in a row. The match saw plenty of drama, including an early disallowed goal and a second yellow card for Pablo Marí, which resulted in a penalty converted by Ernani for Parma’s first goal. Despite equalizing late through Pedro Pereira, Monza couldn’t withstand Parma’s final push, with Lautaro Valenti scoring the winner from a corner in the 98th minute.
Both Genoa and Parma have reason to celebrate, as they continue to climb the table, while Monza and Empoli face growing relegation concerns.