Preview: Genoa vs Ascoli - prediction, team news, lineups

Featuring in their first competitive outing in about two and a half months, Genoa welcome Ascoli to Stadio Luigi Ferraris for their Round of 64 clash in the Coppa Italia.

While the hosts have not played a competitive match since the final matchday of the 2025-26 Serie A season on May 24, the visitors progressed to this stage by beating Potenza 3-1 in the preliminary round on August 8.

Match preview

Genoa are one-time winners of the Coppa Italia but have struggled to come close to repeating their historic triumph in 1937, only reaching the final once more afterwards in 1940.

This season, the Red and Blues will be looking to break beyond the round of 16, having exited the competition at that stage in nine of their last 11 appearances, including a 4-0 defeat to Atalanta last term.

Genoa find themselves playing at this early stage of the Coppa Italia as a result of their ranking in the previous season's top-flight campaign, having finished 16th in the Serie A table, their lowest placement since their immediate return to the top flight in 2022-23.

The Red and Blues ended that campaign without a win in their final five matches (D2, L3), and they also endured mixed form in their pre-season friendlies, winning two of their five summer outings (D1, L2), with one of those defeats coming in a humiliating 10-1 loss to Bournemouth.

Entering his first full season with the club, head coach Daniele De Rossi, who was appointed in November 2025, will be looking to steer his side to victory this weekend, knowing that a positive outcome is important not only for progression but also for building momentum ahead of their Serie A opener against Napoli on August 22.

Ascoli are also preparing for life in the second tier after gaining promotion following their triumph in the playoffs, securing a 4-1 aggregate win over Union Brescia in the final.

Francesco Tomei's side suffered defeats in both of their pre-season friendlies, losing 1-0 to Frosinone before a 2-1 reverse against Lazio, but they bounced back with a 3-1 victory over Potenza in the preliminary round of the Coppa Italia.

The Woodpeckers have never won the competition and have never progressed beyond the quarter-finals, with their most recent participation coming in 2023-24 when they were eliminated by Hellas Verona in the round of 16.

While Ascoli will be looking to avoid a repeat of that outcome, history is against them, as they have lost five of their last eight meetings with Genoa, although both sides have won one apiece in their previous two Coppa Italia encounters.

Genoa form (pre-season friendlies):

Ascoli Coppa Italia form:

Team News

Genoa's summer transfer window has been headlined by the permanent signing of Swiss midfielder Djibril Sow from Sevilla, alongside the loan arrival of Hamed Traore from Marseille, while the club has also sanctioned several departures, most of which have been temporary moves.

Franz-Ethan Meichtry, Hamed Traore, Lorenzo Venturino and Joi Nuredini are all dealing with fitness issues, while Elias Havel could return to contention sooner than initially expected after missing the friendly against Deportivo La Coruna.

Lorenzo Colombo, who finished as Genoa's top scorer in the 2025-26 season with seven goals, has remained at the club after completing a permanent move from AC Milan and should once again play a central role in De Rossi's attack.

Ascoli's transfer activity has been comparatively low-key, with Tomei's side bringing in Giacomo De Pieri and Sergiu Perciun on loan from Inter Milan and Torino, respectively, alongside a handful of other measured additions.

The newly promoted side will be without right-back Manuel Alagna, who suffered a serious knee injury in the pre-season friendly against Lazio, with Andrea Oliveri expected to continue in his place.

Tommaso Milanese, Gabriele Gori and Giovanni Corradini were all on the scoresheet in Ascoli's 3-1 comeback win over Potenza in the previous round and should be available for this clash.

Genoa possible starting lineup:

Bijlow; Marcandalli, Otoa, Vasquez; Ellertsson, Frendrup, Amorim, Sabelli; Baldanzi, Vitinha; Mitaj

Ascoli possible starting lineup:

Vitale; Milanese, Curado, Nicoletti, Guiebre, Corradini; Acampora, Silipo; Perciun, D'Uffizi, Chaki

We say: Genoa 2-0 Ascoli

Genoa have not been particularly convincing in recent outings, but facing a newly promoted side from the second tier should give De Rossi's team a chance to build confidence.

The difference in quality should ultimately tell at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, with the hosts expected to secure a comfortable victory and progress to the next round.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.