Alexander Blessin became the first coach ever to draw his opening six Serie A games, as Genoa again grabbed a point against Empoli, denied by the woodwork and a goal-line clearance.
These were the teams with the longest current winless streaks, as the Grifone had drawn five in a row and had just one victory all season, back in September against Cagliari, while the Tuscans were without success in 10 rounds, so this was a relegation clash.
Ardian Ismajli was suspended for the visitors, with Riccardo Marchizza and Nicolas Haas out for the season. Genoa missed Andrea Masiello, Domenico Criscito, Zinho Vanheusden, Roberto Piccoli, Andrea Cambiaso, Caleb Ekuban and Lennart Czyborra.
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Nedim Bajrami’s free kick skimmed the crossbar and moments later stung Salvatore Sirigu’s gloves with a ferocious strike.
However, Genoa came so close to an opener on 18 minutes, Kristjan Asllani performing an acrobatic goal-line clearance on Leo Ostigard’s header from a corner. Moments later, Nikola Maksimovic’s header grazed the bar from another set play, then Manolo Portanova forced a save from close range.
There was controversy on 33 minutes, as Marco Benassi clearly tugged Portanova’s jersey, but the overly-dramatic way the Genoa man flung himself to the ground prompted the referee to wave play on. He was right there, so VAR could not intervene, as he saw it perfectly well and judged it to be more simulation than foul.
Portanova thought he’d scored after the restart with a ferocious strike from the edge of the box, but Guglielmo Vicario flew to fingertip it onto the crossbar.
Vasquez horribly scuffed wide from six yards on a Portanova lay-off, while Mattia Destro’s header was over the bar.
Empoli also threatened, Sirigu palming a powerful Filippo Bandinelli strike out of the far bottom corner, while Stojanovic bravely got his head in the way of Destro’s effort from close range.
Genoa 0-0 Empoli