Internazionale vs Genoa Match Preview
Defending champions Inter Milan kick-off their Coppa Italia campaign against Genoa at the San Siro stadium on Thursday.

Zarate is expected to make a rare start for Inter
Fresh from their crucial victory over arch-rivals AC Milan on the weekend, Inter Milan kick-off their defense of the Coppa Italia at the round of 16 stage against Genoa at the San Siro stadium on Thursday.
Inter come into the clash in sensational form, as their victory over Milan extended their winning streak to six matches, where they scored 14 goals and conceded only one. The Nerazzurri seem unstoppable at present and will hope to continue with their impressive run of results against a Genoa side which they eliminated at an identical stage of the tournament last year.
But Genoa are expected to give Inter a run for their money, after obtaining a dramatic 3-2 victory over high-flying Udinese on the weekend. If Genoa manage to demonstrate the same attacking prowess as they did against Udinese an upset could possibly be on the cards.
Claudio Ranieri, the coach of Inter, is likely to include only four players from the team that ousted Milan against Genoa, with them being Javier Zanetti, Lucio, Thiago Motta and Diego Milito.
Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder will once again have to wait for his opportunity from the substitute's bench, while Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan has been completely discarded for the match after the recurrence of the same injury that has plagued his recent Inter career.
Talented Argentine striker Mauro Zarate could possibly be playing his final match with the Inter shirt, and will be hoping to prove his worth when he partners Milito in what should be a menacing strike-force.
Meanwhile, Pasquale Marino, the coach of Genoa, has had to deal with a selection nightmare, particularly in defense where as many as four of his regular starters are sidelined with injuries.
The good news for the Rossoblu is that captain courageous Marco Rossi will be back in action after completing a ban against Palermo on the weekend. This should inspire a Genoa side who will be without former Boca Juniors winger Rodrigo Palacio, who will be rested for precaution.
Since a goalless draw between the sides in 2010, Inter have won four consecutive matches against Genoa, with the last coming just a little more than a month ago, when a strike from Yuto Nagatomo handed Inter the three points.
Internazionale vs Genoa Match Report
Defending champions Inter Milan extend their winning streak to seven matches after beating Genoa for a Coppa Italia quarter-finals berth.

Maicon opened the scoring for the Nerazzurri
Inter Milan, the reigning champions of the Coppa Italia, defeated Genoa 2-1 at the San Siro stadium on Thursday to book their passage into the quarter-finals of the competition.
The Nerazzurri didn't put on their finest display, but it was still enough for them to notch up their seventh consecutive victory in all competitions. Inter's goals were scored by Maicon and Andrea Poli, while Valter Birsa scored a late consolation goal for the visitors.
Inter controlled the early moments of the game, and just had to wait nine minutes before Maicon put them ahead with an unstoppable 27-metre missile that found itself in the top left-hand corner of the Genoa goal.
Claudio Ranieri's side appeared to take their foot off the pedal after breaking the deadlock, as they lacked their normal rhythm for the remainder of the half.
Their only other worthwhile attempt on goal in the opening period came from the boot of Dutch international Wesley Sneijder, but his effort was parried away to safety by Genoa goalkeeper Cristiano Lupatelli.
Meanwhile, the visitors played some decent soccer from time to time, but rarely threatened the Inter goal.
Four minutes into the restart Poli doubled Inter's advantage, when the young midfielder sensationally volleyed the ball home after a superb interchange of passes with Joel Obi on the edge of the area.
Inter dominated their opponents from that instance, with the likes of Sneijder and Argentine substitute Mauro Zarate coming close to extending their advantage with decent efforts.
With the result all but settled, a rare attack from the visitors allowed Birsa to score a consolation goal in the second minute of stoppage-time, when he fired home from close-range after an earlier header from Lucas Pratto hit the crossbar.
But the goal arrived much too late, as Inter progressed to the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia where they will meet Napoli in what is expected to be a mouthwatering clash.