This was supposed to be our first game of the season. But
due to a tragedy, we are playing it on Halloween. Which is kind of creepy,
really, a haunting memory of that horrific tragedy. But also strange due to the
bewitched luck Milan has when tragedy occurs. We always seem to have an
advantage before the tragedy, and then lose that advantage (and sometimes more)
by the time our game is rescheduled. That is definitely the case with Genoa, between
our beleaguered performances and their change of coaches and related
improvement in form.
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| Always in our hearts |
Over the international break, Genoa sacked Ballardini and
brought back Ivan Juric, who had done so well for them in the past. They came
off of the break to a 1-1 draw with Juventus, the only Serie A team to take
points from the unstoppable zebras so far this season. This past weekend, they drew
2-2 to Udinese, which left them sitting in 10th place, with this game in hand.
For the Udinese match, Juric lined up Radu; Biraschi, Romero, Criscito;
Pereira, Romulo, Sandro, Lazovic; Bessa; Kouame, and the ridiculously bewitched
striker Piatek. Romero saw red in that match, so will be unavailable for this
match.
In other haunted news, Gattuso lost Caldara to a ligament
injury, he will most likely be out through December. Bonaventura and Calabria
are in doubt due to recent injuries. Conti is likely to be called up, but
unlikely to play until he has featured with the Primavera. Strinic, of course,
is always in our hearts as he strives to heal his own heart. But perhaps the
worst current injury is to Milan’s mentality. The win on Sunday was crucial for
confidence, but having not kept a single clean sheet in Serie A this season seems
to be sandbagging the team and their performances.
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| Bewitched. |
Both teams have a lot to play for, and this three points has
been the bewitching game in hand for ten weeks now that could bump either team
up or down the table. While Genoa have the angels of those who were lost in the
tragedy to play for, Milan are the devils, and Genoa have to come to our house.
So let’s hope the fact that we are playing in hell on Halloween gives us enough
of an edge to claim those three points and creep up the table to where we need
to be.
This post inspired by the music of INXS’s
“The Devil Inside”
Serie A Week 1
(makeup match)
Milan vs. Genoa
Wednesday, October
31 • 8:30pm CET (3:30pm EDT)*
This match can be
streamed on ESPN+ in the U.S.
*Note the time
difference due to the end of European Daylight Savings