Allegri’s Napoli is born in Genoa
Genoa and Napoli meet at Marassi at 20:45 CEST, with Daniele De Rossi's side looking to make a flying start after progressing in the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa and extend a positive opening-day record which has seen them avoid defeat in nine of their last 16 Serie A season openers (five wins, four draws). Meanwhile, Massimiliano Allegri makes his competitive debut in the Napoli dugout, aiming to secure all three points and begin his new chapter in the right way.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
There have been 61 official meetings between the two sides at Marassi: 21 Genoa wins (the latest a 2-1 victory in Serie A 2020/21), 21 draws (the latest a 2-2 draw in Serie A 2023/24) and 19 Napoli wins (the latest a 2-3 victory in Serie A 2025/26).
Both teams have scored in each of the last 8 meetings in Genoa: 12 goals for the Rossoblù and 17 for the Azzurri.
Napoli are on a run of 5 consecutive wins at Marassi, 4 of which ended 1-2; last season was the only exception, with a 2-3 win for the Partenopei.
Genoa and Napoli will meet on Matchday 1 of Serie A for the fifth time: a 3-3 draw in 1958/59 and a 1-1 draw in 1954/55 at Marassi, plus Napoli wins in 1957/58 (4-0 at Fuorigrotta) and 1-2 at the Ferraris in 2014/15.
DID YOU KNOW?
Genoa are winless in their last 4 Serie A openers: their last Matchday 1 win came in 2020/21 (Genoa-Crotone 4-1). Since then, 2 draws and 2 defeats.
Genoa have reached the Coppa Italia Round of 32: a 4-1 home win over Ascoli, with goals from Marcandalli, Baldanzi, Colombo and Havel, after Silipo had given the visitors the lead.
Lorenzo Colombo was one of 8 players to feature in every Serie A match in 2025/26 (38 appearances out of 38), alongside Svilar (Roma), Adopo and Caprile (Cagliari), Butez and Douvikas (Como), Laurientè (Sassuolo) and Falcone (Lecce).
Genoa have missed out on Serie A only once in the last 24 seasons (2022/23), a club record.
Daniele De Rossi and Massimiliano Allegri will meet for the fourth time in an official match: in the previous 3 meetings, the Napoli coach recorded 1 win and 2 draws.
COACHES and PLAYERS
Massimiliano Allegri is the former player in focus: he made 7 appearances and scored no goals for Napoli in 1997/98. He is also one of 6 coaches to manage a club they previously played for, alongside Aquilani (Sassuolo), Pisacane (Cagliari), Fabregas (Como), Chivu (Inter) and Abate (Torino).
Only Nico Paz (121) and Nikola Krstović (98) attempted more shots than Scott McTominay (97) in the 2025/26 season.
DISCIPLINE
Suspended: none
Cautioned: none
REFEREE
DI BELLO (ROSSI M. – DEI GIUDICI) IV: MANGANIELLO VAR: MERAVIGLIA AVAR: COSSO
UPCOMING MATCHES
Lazio-Genoa (30/8, 20.45)
Napoli-Como (30/8, 18.30)
(Photo Getty Images)