Tommaso Baldanzi, Genoa midfielder, scored in the Coppa Italia first round on August 16 as the rossoblù overturned a deficit against Ascoli to advance to the round of 16. Baldanzi was joined on the scoresheet by Marcandalli and Colombo, with Havel also contributing, as Daniele De Rossi's side came from behind after Silipo had given Ascoli an early lead.
The result matters beyond the cup competition. Genoa finished the 2025-26 Serie A season 16th with 41 points from 38 matches — a campaign that left little room for comfort — and De Rossi arrives as the man tasked with reversing that trajectory. A competitive, purposeful performance in the cup's opening round, with Baldanzi at the centre of it, is the kind of early signal a squad in transition needs.
Baldanzi's profile heading into 2026-27 is that of a 23-year-old still assembling his senior credentials. Across ten Serie A appearances last season he contributed one goal and no assists, averaging a rating of 6.70 — numbers that reflect a player who was present without yet being decisive with regularity. His AI overall score of 64 out of a possible 100, against a projected ceiling of 75, suggests the analytical models see meaningful room for growth, though that headroom only converts into value if the minutes and the confidence accumulate together.
The Coppa Italia provides exactly that kind of low-stakes, high-visibility environment. Baldanzi's goal against Ascoli was not a cameo contribution; it was part of a collective effort that required the team to respond after falling behind, and his name appearing on the scoresheet in that context carries more weight than a routine finish in a comfortable win. De Rossi, speaking before the match, told the press that Genoa's supporters have the right to dream — a framing that places expectation on the group while giving individual players the licence to express themselves.
Genoa's path in the cup now leads to Südtirol in the round of 16, with a potential tie against Inter beyond that. For Baldanzi, the challenge is converting a promising cup cameo into sustained Serie A influence. At 23, with a ceiling the data suggests he has not yet reached, the next few months will define whether he becomes a reliable component of De Rossi's system or remains a player whose best performances arrive in flashes.