Italiano’s report cards – With 4 consecutive knockouts in the Champions League so far it has been a real flop

“He sends Ferguson onto the field from the 1st minute but the choice doesn’t pay off, also because his captain isn’t at his best. Another bad evening for his team which has reached its fourth consecutive defeat. Now reaching the playoffs is really difficult, almost impossible.” This was the judgment that on TMW we reserved for mister’s Bologna Vincenzo Italiano after the Champions League defeat against Lille. Rating 5.5 for the rossoblù coach, in our columns as well as in those of La Gazzetta dello Sportwho spoke about it like this: “With hindsight, the Ferguson card didn’t pay off, the pace was still different. Castro would have been a wild card to be played earlier. First goal yes, victory no”.

He sees the glass as half full, despite the slight failure in his report card, the Corriere dello Sport: “Some formation choices don’t pay off for him. He doesn’t find the right countermeasures to stop Lille when they overcome the first line of pressure from his rossoblù, but the attitude was there.” Comment by Tuttosportthe most severe of the newspapers: “The choice of Dallinga pays, with which he nullifies an appreciable work, in particular with the reaction of the second half. Bologna is liked for the proactive attitude”.

The votes of Vincenzo Italiano
TMW: 5.5
La Gazzetta dello Sport: 5.5
Corriere dello Sport: 5.5
Tuttosport: 5