Coach Luciano Spalletti asked for a direct comparison with the opposing team, citing Daniele De Rossi's character as a point of reference for Genoa. In the press conference, Spalletti highlighted that Genoa possesses a "De Rossi streak" and that his presence on the pitch is decisive for the team, recalling the role that De Rossi had played during his career in Rome. The Tuscan coach also underlined the tactical difficulty of Genoa, which can adopt two different game solutions: one more physical and aggressive, with players like Osmajic and Ostigaard, and another more technically oriented, with the use of set pieces and one-on-one attacks.
Meanwhile, Serie A is preparing for the ninth matchday of the championship, with the Sassuolo-Lazio match opening the midweek round. Sassuolo, under the leadership of Alberto Aquilani, decided to keep Turati as goalkeeper, but made numerous changes on the pitch. The official lineup features a 4‑3‑3 structure with Cinquegrano, Caleta‑Car, Odenthal, Doig, Thorstvedt, Lipani, Bakola, Berardi and Esposito S. Laurentié. On the bench, the team has Satallino, Muric, Cande, Walukiewicz, Volpato, Ghion, Bowie, Adžić, Matić, Van Der Brempt, Idzes, Dominguez, Obrador, Sulemana and Pierini.
Lazio, led by Gennaro Gattuso, introduced Diogo Leite into the defense from the first minute, while the former captain, Pinamonti, was placed on the bench. The official lineup is also 4‑3‑3, with Mandas in goal, Floriani, Sutalo, Diogo Leite and Nuno Tavares in defense, Frattesi, Belahyane and Taylor in midfield, and Isaksen, Noslin and Zaccagni in attack. The bench includes Motta, Renzetti, Doekhi, Provstgaard, Lazzari, Pedraza, Pellegrini, Cataldi, Dele‑Bashiru, Przyborek, Farcomeni, Cancellieri, Serra and Pinamonti.
Meanwhile, Milan find themselves in an injury situation which reduces their squad to eight players available for the derby against Bologna. Apart from Ruben Loftus‑Cheek, who has been ruled out due to a medial flexor muscle injury in his left thigh, other key players such as Saelemaekers, P. Terracciano and Gabbia are unavailable. Chukwueze, Gila, Moreira and Rabiot have been trained separately, and the team will have to recall five Milan Futuro players for tomorrow's match: Luca Menon, Nirash Perera, Silvano Vos, Lorenzo Ossola and El Hadji Malick Cissé. The situation remains uncertain regarding the availability of Gila, Moreira and Rabiot for Saturday's derby.
With the ninth matchday of Serie A in sight, the teams are preparing to face opponents with different playing styles and to manage the difficulties related to injuries. The Sassuolo-Lazio match promises to be an interesting match, especially due to the presence of De Rossi as a tactical reference point for Genoa and the numerous roster changes that both teams have made. Milan, however, will have to face the challenge with a reduced squad, while Lazio tries to consolidate its defense with the arrival of Diogo Leite. The final result of these matches will influence the ranking and strategy of the teams for the next few days of the championship.