Fighting for their Serie A survival, Hellas Verona hope to continue a recent upturn on Sunday, when they welcome Genoa to Stadio Bentegodi.
While the Gialloblu are again scrapping to avoid the drop this season, their visitors have serenely secured a place in mid-table after returning to the top flight.
Match preview
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With a tally of seven points from the last 12 available, Verona have certainly improved their chances of swerving Serie A's trapdoor, which they only managed to escape via a dramatic relegation playoff last year.
Federico Bonazzoli struck for just the second time this term in Monday's 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Cagliari, and Hellas have now posted only one point fewer during the second half of the season than in the whole first half of their 2023-24 campaign.
That run has inched them up from 18th at halfway to 16th, but there is plenty of work remaining for Marco Baroni's men, who sit a mere two points clear of the drop zone with eight games to play.
Goals have been in short supply thus far, with Bonazzoli only being outscored by French forward Thomas Henry (three) and midfielder Michael Folorunsho (four), and Verona average under one goal per game.
Having won just one of their last six Serie A meetings with Genoa while failing to score on three occasions - including a 1-0 defeat in November's reverse fixture - that will be a concern for Baroni this weekend.
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Following that success at Marassi earlier this season, Genoa could now do the double over Verona for only the third time in Serie A, having previously done so in 1957-58 and 2017-18.
The Ligurian club are perhaps well-placed to leave Stadio Bentegodi with maximum points, given their impressive adaptation to life back in the top flight.
Most recently, a battle of two teams promoted together last year saw them share the spoils with Frosinone, as Albert Gudmundsson scored from the spot during the first half of a 1-1 home draw.
Sure to be subject of a transfer auction this summer, Gudmundsson is the only player among teams inside the bottom half of Serie A to have reached double figures this season, and the Iceland striker's 11 goals have helped all but secure Genoa's top-flight survival.
Last term's Serie B runners-up occupy 12th place in the table as the run-in approaches and are not entirely out of contention for a top-half finish.
However, they have now won only one of their last eight league matches, drawing both of the last two and 11 overall - only Udinese have ended all-square more times this season.
Team News
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While Giangiacomo Magnani will be absent due to suspension, and Juan Manuel Cruz is still struggling with a muscular injury, Verona boss Marco Baroni has Tomas Suslov and Karol Swiderski back to full fitness this weekend.
Both were only able to feature from the bench on Monday, but either could now start in support of Federico Bonazzoli or Tijjani Noslin. The latter has been directly involved in two goals in his last two games, having previously scored just one from seven after arriving in January.
Meanwhile, Genoa are without Ruslan Malinovskyi through injury and Italy striker Mateo Retegui, who must serve a one-match ban for accumulated bookings.
Retegui's fellow forwards Vitinha and Caleb Ekuban are also fitness doubts for the visitors, but top scorer Albert Gudmundsson should overcome an illness to start up front.
Alberto Gilardino can also call upon Koni De Winter and Aaron Martin at the Bentegodi, with both having overcome injuries.
Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:
Montipo; Tchatchoua, Coppola, Dawidowicz, Cabal; Duda, Serdar; Suslov, Folorunsho, Lazovic; Noslin
Genoa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; De Winter, Bani, Vasquez; Sabelli, Frendrup, Badelj, Strootman, Spence; Gudmundsson; Ankeye
We say: Hellas Verona 0-0 Genoa
It should be a tight contest in Verona, where the hosts have proved far tougher to beat this season, so the points may ultimately be shared. Genoa are without their main striker, while Hellas have struggled to score for some time now - a goalless stalemate could result.
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Jonathan O'Shea
