Genoa midfielder Tommaso Baldanzi contributed a goal as the rossoblù overturned a deficit against Ascoli on August 17 to reach the Coppa Italia round of 16, with Marcandalli, Colombo, and Havel also on the scoresheet in a comeback victory under Daniele De Rossi.
The significance of the result extends beyond a single cup tie. Genoa finished last season 16th in Serie A with 41 points from 38 matches — a side that spent much of the campaign looking over its shoulder — and De Rossi needs players who can carry creative responsibility. Baldanzi, at 23, is precisely the profile the club needs to generate more from midfield: a young technician with room to grow into a decisive role.
His season numbers are modest so far — eight appearances, no goals before this cup run, two assists, and an average rating of 6.80 — but they describe a player still finding his footing in the system rather than one who has been found wanting. An AI overall score of 70 out of 100, with a projected ceiling of 76, suggests the analytical models see upward movement ahead. That gap between current and potential is where the interesting story lives.
The Ascoli match gave Baldanzi a different kind of platform: a competitive fixture with stakes, a deficit to overturn, and a crowd that needed convincing. De Rossi had spoken before the game about the fans' right to dream, and his side delivered a response that matched the tone. Baldanzi's contribution to the comeback — alongside a cast of teammates who each found the net — points to a collective that can function when the pressure is real.
Next up for Genoa in the Coppa Italia is Südtirol, with a potential round-of-eight tie against Inter beyond that. For Baldanzi, each competitive minute between now and the Serie A opener is an argument for a starting role. He is making it quietly, but he is making it.