2026-2027 Preseason Friendlies: Leicester City vs. Genoa—Probable Lineups

Following a 2-1 victory over Trento and a 2-2 draw with Vicenza, Genoa continues its preseason training in England, facing a Leicester City team coming off two consecutive relegations that have sent the club—which just ten years ago won the hearts of millions of fans around the world with its surprise Premier League title—down to the third division. The match will be played at the Foxes’ home, King Power Stadium, at 8:30 p.m. Italian time, 7:30 p.m. local time.

Leicester City, having closed out a successful era that included not only the English title but also an FA Cup and a Community Shield in 2021, has never quite found its footing again, suffering three relegations in the last four years: after the first, the team bounced back immediately—albeit for just one year— to the Premier League, while the second relegation was followed by an even more bitter one, with a second-to-last finish in the 2025–2026 Championship resulting in a drop to League One: the Foxes hadn’t played in the third division since the 2008–2009 season.

Genoa, on the other hand, is set to compete in its fourth consecutive season in Serie A, once again aiming for survival—a goal it has achieved without ever finishing higher than 11th place. Last year, the Grifone finished in sixteenth place, rebounding from a poor start thanks in part to the contributions of head coach Daniele De Rossi (who took over from Patrick Vieira in early November 2025 and was retained for this season) and players who stepped up their game in the second half of the season, such as Lorenzo Colombo, Leo Ostigard, and Vitinha.

Probable Lineups

LEICESTER CITY (4-5-1): McCarthy; Joseph, Okoli, Nelson, Thomas; Alves, Braybrooke, Sipp, Page, Mavididi; Otchere. Coach: Martin.

GENOA (3-5-2): Stolz; Marcandalli, Otoa, Vogliacco; Ellertsson, Baldanzi, Amorim, Frendrup, Norton-Cuffy; Colombo, Vitinha. Coach: De Rossi.