Gian Piero Gasperini admits “stepping back into Marassi was one of the most emotional moments of my life.”
Gian Piero Gasperini admits “stepping back into Marassi was one of the most emotional moments of my life.”
The Palermo Coach returned to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris for the first time since he was sacked by his beloved Genoa in 2010, last night earning a standing ovation from fans and a 1-1 draw.
“Stepping back into Marassi was one of the most emotional moments of my life,” he told Sky Sport Italia.
“To be applauded was just wonderful and gratifying. I have extraordinary memories of my experience at Genoa.”
Palermo had taken the lead through Luigi Giorgi, but were pegged back by Marco Borriello.
“We did very well in the opening half-hour, but instead of adding to the pressure we opted to keep possession. That allowed Genoa back into the game and the second half was balanced.
“Josip Ilicic has great quality and can be decisive, he just needs more confidence. I only substituted him because I wanted to change system in the closing stages.”
Gasperini also explained why he has transformed midfielder Massimo Donati into a centre-back.
“I am convinced even a pure defender would’ve made the same mistakes. Donati is crucial for us, even if clearly playing from the back allows us to build moves with a different quality.”