Genoa coach Davide Ballardini said he’s ‘not surprised’ by Empoli’s start in Serie A and confirmed Mattia Destro won’t play on Friday but stressed the Rossoblu have ‘others who can do well’.
The Grifone are desperately in need of points, as they are tied on points with 18th-placed Spezia after 11 games.
Pressure has been on Ballardini for a few weeks now and the back-to-back draws in the league is not enough to help Genoa climb the table.
But the coach believes Genoa are showing signs of improvement and believes the team have gained ‘confidence and awareness’.
“The team is taking shape and a solidity is being created, which guarantees us confidence and awareness in view of the next games,” Ballardini said at a press conference.
Genoa travel to Empoli tomorrow and the newly promoted home side have picked up 15 points and sit 11th in the league.
“I’m not surprised,” Ballardini said. “They have played good games; they deserved the points they have. They have a team that has consolidated over time and have brought in useful players, who are doing very well.”
Ballardini felt the performances of the Rossoblu have merited more points and stressed the injury situation has halted the progress at Marassi.
“We lack more results than performances,” he said. “We have lost several players due to injuries. It’s difficult when seven or eight players are always out with problems.
“The difficulties, however, strengthen you and make you grow, we are taking note.”
Destro is one of the players out ahead of the game at the Stadio Carlo Castellani and Ballardini hopes others will step forward.
“The absence of Destro is a further difficulty, but we can face it. We have the strength and energy to overcome this too,” the coach continued.
“As a team, with the players we have available, we will try to put our opponents in difficulty, knowing that we don’t have players with the characteristics of Mattia, but others who can do well anyway.”