Genoa vs Juventus — 28 October 2026

Juventus travel to Genoa in the ninth round of Serie A looking to move closer to the European qualification places. Luciano Spalletti's team sit seventh after eight matches and could temporarily climb into the top six with a victory. Genoa have improved their home results under Daniele De Rossi, but their performances against stronger opponents remain a concern. Juventus have won all four of the teams' most recent meetings.

Genoa's Improved Results and Attacking Limitations

Genoa have recovered some ground after a difficult start to the season, winning their last two home matches against Fiorentina (2-1) and Venezia (1-0). Those results have eased the pressure on manager Daniele De Rossi, although the performances themselves have raised questions about the team's ability to maintain that improvement.

The victory over Venezia was particularly unconvincing. After Mikael Ellertsson scored, Genoa retreated deep into their own half and allowed the league's bottom side to create several dangerous opportunities. Venezia generated 2.01 expected goals (xG), the highest figure Genoa have allowed in a match this season.

Genoa's attacking production remains another significant problem. They rank second from bottom in Serie A for both actual goals and expected goals, averaging just 0.75 goals and 0.83 xG per match. Even during their recent improvement in results, creating consistent scoring opportunities has proved difficult.

There is some encouraging news regarding squad availability. Playmaker Tommaso Baldanzi, on loan from Roma, has recovered, while center forward Lorenzo Colombo is also returning to fitness. Colombo was Genoa's leading scorer last season, and both players could provide additional attacking options.

However, Genoa's record against stronger opposition remains poor. They have already lost to Roma (2-0), Como (4-1), Lazio (1-0), and Napoli (2-0) this season. Three of those four defeats came by margins of at least two goals, illustrating the difficulties De Rossi's team have faced against opponents with greater individual quality.

Home performances offer a more encouraging perspective on their attacking potential. Genoa have scored in six of their seven competitive matches at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris this season, even though their overall attacking numbers remain among the lowest in the league.

Juventus' Performances and Tactical Adjustments

Juventus ended a two-match winless run in Serie A with a 2-0 victory over Lecce. Spalletti's team did not produce a particularly dynamic attacking display, but they created better opportunities than their opponents and converted them more effectively.

The result continued an important trend. Juventus have recorded a higher expected goals total than their opponents in every competitive match this season. Their underlying performances suggest they have generally created more than they have allowed, even when results have fallen short of expectations.

That contrast helps explain why seventh place after eight rounds does not fully reflect the quality of Juventus' performances. Their ability to generate scoring opportunities has remained relatively consistent, although converting those advantages into league points has been less straightforward.

Injuries have forced Spalletti to make significant tactical adjustments. With regular wingers Francisco Conceição and Kenan Yıldız unavailable, along with potential replacement Nicolás González, the manager has moved away from a system relying on traditional wide attackers.

Instead, Juventus have adopted a 3-5-2 formation featuring two central forwards. The change has produced encouraging results, allowing the team to maintain an attacking presence without depending on the unavailable wingers.

Randal Kolo Muani and Nick Woltemade are expected to continue as the attacking partnership, with Douglas Luiz and Weston McKennie providing support from deeper midfield positions. Their ability to advance the ball and contribute to attacks gives Juventus alternatives to the wide combinations they would normally use.

Defensive consistency, however, remains an issue. Zeki Çelik is the only reported injury absence in the defensive unit, yet Juventus have kept just two clean sheets in their last six league matches. They are conceding an average of one goal per Serie A fixture, suggesting that their defensive performances have not always matched their attacking efficiency.

Referee: Daniele Doveri

Daniele Doveri was among Serie A's more lenient referees last season, averaging 3.16 yellow cards per match. He has also awarded relatively few penalties, with just one in his previous 12 top-flight appearances.

Key Factors

Genoa's ability to maintain their defensive organization will be important against a Juventus side that has consistently created more chances than its opponents. De Rossi's team have struggled when facing stronger attacks, and retreating too deep could allow Juventus to establish sustained pressure around the penalty area.

For Juventus, the challenge will be turning possession and territorial control into clear scoring opportunities through their adjusted attacking system. Genoa's returning attacking players could also test a defense that has not consistently kept clean sheets. The effectiveness of Juventus' central combinations and Genoa's ability to move forward after recovering possession may shape the contest.