Coppa Italia semi-final in 2021/2022, Coppa Italia and Conference League final in 2022/2023, Coppa Italia semi-final and Conference League final in the last season with Fiorentina. For Vincenzo Italian – a true Cup specialist – now the time has come to measure himself against the main European competition. Tonight Bologna, after 60 years, makes his debut in the Champions League and so many will ask themselves: who better than him? If you look at the results of recent years, history says that Italiano in the knockout competitions (almost) always arrives at the bottom. Now, as mentioned, all that remains is to see what will happen in the single group of the new Champions.
“It helps me a lot to think about what I’ve experienced in the last two years, touring Europe and feeling the atmospheres of stadiums and very heated fans. I know what we’re going to face and my past experience has taught me to manage emotions. I believe that this experience, as it helped me, will help a lot the guys who have never experienced Europe. I can’t wait to get on the pitch”. Words of Vincenzo Italiano himself, pronounced yesterday afternoon in a press conference. And so off we go, we start with Shakhtar Donetsk.
Bologna’s opponents
Shakhtar Donetsk
The Ukrainian champions are enjoying the permanence of the jewel Sudakov (this will probably be his last season in the orange and black jersey before the big and deserved leap) and, like every year, they are expected to be a tough obstacle to overcome for anyone. Watch out especially for 23-year-old Danylo Sikan, who started off with a series of goals as a centre-forward for mister Pusic’s team, and the acrobatic plays of 26-year-old Brazilian Pedrinho.
Liverpool
The first big team that Bologna will find on its European path will be Federico Chiesa’s Liverpool. A team that in the summer inaugurated a new cycle just like the rossoblù, passing on the bench from mister Klopp to mister Slot although not particularly changing its squad. The trip to Anfield, whatever happens, will be a historic event for Saputo’s club.
Aston Villa
Despite the sale of midfielder Douglas Luiz to Juventus, the Villans of mister Emery, dragged from their area by the personality of Dibu Martinez, this summer have added more quality to their squad with the purchases of defender Maatsen and midfielder Onana. Two new starters for a squad already capable of reaching fourth place in the last Premier League.
Monk
The second force of the last Ligue 1 wants to return to greatness also at European level, but without ever losing its nature. This explains the purchase of Ilenikhena, child prodigy paid almost 20 million euros and ready to support bomber Embolo in attack. There was no shortage of reinforcements in other departments either with defenders Mawissa (16 million) and Kehrer (11 million), full-back Teze (10 million) and midfielder Lamine Camara (15 million), even if the sale of Fofana to Milan left a big void in midfield.
Lille
Jonathan David, who has been targeted by the Italians for two years now, is preparing to challenge both Juve and Bologna. Alongside him in the Lille attack is former Lazio target Matias Fernandez-Pardo, a young Spanish-Belgian talent that the French club secured this summer from Gent for around 10 million euros. Also worth mentioning, at the moment more as a curiosity than anything else, is the arrival from the PSG youth system of Ethan Mbappé, Kylian’s younger brother.
Benfica
After the second place in last year’s Primeira Liga, given that the former Fiorentina player Arthur Cabral up front did not particularly shine, the Incarnate they have bet heavily on bomber Pavlidis to return to winning ways in Portugal and beyond in 2024-2025. The Greek bomber, bought from AZ Alkmaar for almost 20 million euros (and also snatched from competition from Bologna in Serie A), is undoubtedly the number one threat for Italiano’s rearguard.
Borussia Dortmund
The switch between Terzic and Sahin on the bench and the departure of captain Reus have certainly not changed the objectives of Borussia Dortmund, who in addition to a great run in the league dreams of repeating the Champions League final won just a few months ago against Real Madrid. The real market coup was the purchase of the centre forward Guirassy from Stuttgart (30 goals in 30 appearances last year), even if the permanence of the young talent Adeyemi is worth just as much.
Sporting CP
First Benfica and then Sporting, Bologna is expected surprisingly by two trips to Lisbon (but obviously in different stadiums). The reigning champion of the Portuguese top division in the summer has secured its coach Ruben Amorim and has restarted with another certainty in Viktor Gyokeres in attack. Two first steps long meters to start the new season in the best way.
THE CALENDAR
September 18th at 6.45pm
Bologna – Shakhtar
October 2nd at 9pm
Liverpool v Bologna
October 22nd at 9pm
Aston Villa vs Bologna
November 5th at 9pm
Bologna-Monaco
November 27th at 9pm
Bologna – Lille
December 11th at 9pm
Benfica – Bologna
January 21st at 9pm
Bologna vs Borussia Dortmund
January 29th at 9pm
Sporting CP-Bologna