Mauricio Pinilla is eager to meet his old Cagliari friends when Genoa travel to Sardinia this weekend.
The Chilean striker has netted three goals in his first seven games, playing his part in Genoa’s surprising start to the season.
Mauricio Pinilla is eager to meet his old Cagliari friends when Genoa travel to Sardinia this weekend.
The Chilean striker has netted three goals in his first seven games, playing his part in Genoa’s surprising start to the season.
Despite having fond memories of his spell on the island where he scored 22 goals, Pinilla says that he will do his best to return to Liguria with the three points.
“Both Cagliari and ourselves attack openly with a lot of players, so I think that it will be a spectacular game. We’ll go there to win,” Pinilla told media in a Press conference in Villa Rostan today.
“In Cagliari I’ve spent two-and-a-half fantastic years where I was re-born as a player. I had a fantastic relationship with everyone and I am really looking forward to hugging fans and former team-mates.”
Pinilla is very much enjoying his experience at Genoa where he is learning to develop a natural understanding with Alessandro Matri, another former Cagliari player.
“When you play with Alessandro you can learn, it’s great to play with him. At the beginning we didn’t know each other, but we often play together in training and the moment will come when we both start.
“Our main target is to give it all, then if the other comes in and scores, that’s even better. We are selfless in our job.”
Finally, Pinilla was asked to describe his relationship with the fans. The Grifoni faithful have enjoyed a blistering start to the season, but lost the derby against Sampdoria.
“Once the derby is in the past, one should just look at the present, but we know how important the competition with Sampdoria is for our fans and the club.
“I always try to make the fans feel that I am giving my best – that’s in my nature.”