Genoa vs Inter Milan preview - We can win despite Palacio absence - Preziosi
Posted Tuesday, December 13, 2011 by PA
Genoa president Enrico Preziosi believes his team can overcome the absence of striker Rodrigo Palacio when they go up against Inter Milan.
The Serie A game at the Luigi Ferraris stadium had been scheduled for November 6 but was postponed due to flooding in Liguria.
Palacio, who is Genoa's leading scorer with six league goals so far, got hurt during last weekend's 2-0 triumph at Siena.
The Argentinian forward underwent tests that confirmed a muscular injury that will see him sidelined until the new year.
"Palacio's absence takes away up to 70% from us," Preziosi said. "But it should not be an excuse for the team. If the team's will is there, they should overcome his absence."
Genoa are seventh in the standings, three places and one point clear of Inter.
The coach of Genoa, Alberto Malesani, said: "Inter is always Inter.
"We will need to play a perfect game against them.
"Inter may have struggled at the start of the season but at the end, I'm sure Claudio Ranieri's Inter will be above many other teams in the standings."
Inter, meanwhile, bounced back from consecutive defeats to Udinese in Serie A and CSKA Moscow in the Champions League to win 2-0 over Fiorentina last weekend.
"We continue to work hard as we have always," Ranieri said. "We must do well against a team that knows how to play football.
"I can only say good things about Genoa after watching their game at Siena. But we must focus on ourselves and on our path.
"We must continue to pedal in the right direction."
Inter's former Genoa striker Diego Milito is an uncertainty for the encounter because of a muscular problem.
"Milito will travel to Genoa but I will only decide at the last minute if he will play," Ranieri said.
Inter will welcome back Uruguay forward Diego Forlan, who will start on the bench after a six-week injury lay-off.
The visitors will be without injured defenders Maicon and Andrea Ranocchia but welcome back captain Javier Zanetti from suspension.
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