Giampaolo eager to get the season started after postponed opener

Marco Giampaolo revealed he is excited about getting the new Serie A campaign under way against Udinese on Sunday after last week’s opening-day clash with Fiorentina was called off.

“A week ago I didn’t want to play the game against Fiorentina because it was the right thing to do,” the boss told reporters in the Bogliasco press room ahead of the match at Dacia Arena.

“It’s the sort of tragedy that’s impossible to accept but Genoa doesn’t need pity now. It needs to be supported, visited, involved. This is a beautiful city and it deserves that support at the moment.

“We have our first game now and it’s always nice when you get going and start building anew. You get those first-game nerves and it’s a good feeling.”

Last season the Blucerchiati were on the wrong end of a 4-0 defeat in Udine but Giampaolo insists that result will have little bearing on this meeting.

“It’s a new season and different to the previous one so it’s wrong to make comparisons. We may prove better at doing some things and worse at others. We’re working differently to last term, focusing on different aspects, so the past really has little bearing other than helping us to understand what we can do better.”

Udinese hired relatively unknown Spanish coach Julio Velazquez in the summer in a bid to turn over a new leaf following a disappointing campaign last time out – and Giampaolo believes that change is already noticeable.

“I wasn’t familiar with Velazquez before he joined Udinese but we’ve watched their game against Parma, their Coppa Italia match and a few of their summer friendlies and they’re a different side to the one we were used to seeing.

“They have more of a Spanish feel about them now: they focus more on keeping the ball and building play than defending and playing on the break. Traditionally Udinese have been a counter-attacking side with lots of pacy players but now they try to take the game to the opposition.”

The manager added that he has no doubts over his team selection as a number of players are still building up fitness and the new signings are yet to fully bed in.

“It isn’t that hard to pick the team at the moment because we’re still trying to get everyone up to the same level, physically, technically and mentally. I already know my starting line-up but I’m not going to say it because I don’t want to hand our opponents an advantage.

“[Riccardo] Saponara and [Lorenzo] Tonelli are two very good players who need to be at their best physically and mentally, which comes when you’re training regularly and involved nearly all the time. They didn’t play regularly last season, partly due to injuries, but I know how good they are. They just need to find a bit of consistency and confidence.”