There has been a takeover, four seasons in the second tier and two promotions since the last time Bologna played in Europe. Few will even remember the club’s run to the final of 2002 Intertoto Cup as the Rossoblu target a Champions League place in the final stretch of a remarkable campaign.
From financial ruin and the depths of Serie B there is now the genuine prospect of Bologna competing against the continent’s elite next term. The Emilia-Romagna club can round off an exceptional season if they remain in fourth position with just nine games left.
From the steady leadership of owner Joey Saputo, expert recruitment of technical director Giovanni Sartori and Thiago Motta’s masterful coaching, the Bologna revival has been a collaborative union built on a model of financial prudence.
Canadian businessman Saputo – who assumed control of the club in October 2014 – has made numerous off the field changes without plunging the Rossoblu into debt with lavish signings.
Instead Sartori, who worked wonders at Atalanta, has scoured the globe to bring value for money buys and cost-effective loans to Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.
In his first full season in charge Motta has moulded a multi-talented squad into an unremitting, industrious unit. There was a degree of risk when Saputo appointed the former Inter midfielder in September 2022 after mixed coaching spells at Genoa and Spezia. Yet the 41-year-old has managed to turn his fault-finders into admirers with a spirited charge into the top four.
The Brazilian-born former Italy international was known for his tenacity and perseverance in a glittering playing career and has shaped a team with a never-say-die attitude.
Bologna have come back from losing positions to earn points on seven separate occasions – including impressive draws at the San Siro against both Inter and Milan – and scored five goals beyond the 90-minute mark this term.
The Rossoblu have conceded the third fewest goals in Serie A as Motta has fostered an all-encompassing approach to defending. It is just one part of a methodology which emphasizes a swarming press to win possession while patiently building from the back via the flanks.
Motta has utilized almost every member of a multi-faceted player pool, frequently switching wingers and making late impact substitutions.
There is no disputing the collective effort in Bologna’s rise up the table which has prompted pundits to label them as a team without any star players.
Whether Scottish midfielder Lewis Ferguson and Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee deserve top billing is a moot point, both have been outstanding throughout the campaign.
It is difficult to imagine the Emilia-Romagna club in such an exalted position if they were deprived of a duo who have combined for 16 goals and six assists in 29 Serie A games. The attacking interplay of Ferguson and Zirkzee has been a notable feature of Bologna’s final third activity, especially their ability to generate openings in enclosed areas.
It is a mark of Ferguson’s improvement under Motta that he was rewarded with the club captaincy after consistently delivering excellent performances.
The 24-year-old is comfortable anywhere in the middle of the park and has already struck six times, while the quick footwork and finishing of Zirkzee have made Rossoblu fans forget all about the departure of veteran striker Marko Arnautovic last August.
How Bologna copes with the injury enforced absence of the 22-year-old Dutchman, who has 10 league goals for the season, could be a vital factor in their quest to reach the Champions League.
Other key contributors include former Roma full-back Riccardo Calafiori, who has flourished after moving into central defence, skilful winger Riccardo Orsolini and on-loan Inter midfielder Giovanni Fabbian. Italian international Orsolini (9) and under-21 cap Fabbian (5) have both registered crucial goals in a team which contains one of the most dependable backlines in the division.
Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski, Dutch centre-back Sam Beukema and experienced Swiss midfield anchor Remo Freuler are among those who might not make the headlines. Yet they have all played essential parts in making the Rossoblu one of the hardest teams to beat in the Italian top flight.
Motta’s strength in numbers strategy indicates that everyone will have a role to play as Bologna enter the concluding phase of the campaign, starting with games against relegation candidates Salernitana and Frosinone.
Trips to fellow Champions League contenders Roma and Napoli, and a penultimate home meeting with Juventus await in what has already been a season for the ages.
For one of the most historically successful clubs in Italy – the Rossoblu have won seven Scudetti and the Coppa Italia twice – any kind of success is long overdue.
It has been 22 years since Bologna finished in seventh place and qualified for Europe.
The next two months will determine whether Motta’s side can finally consign both achievements to the record books by clinching a coveted spot in the Champions League.
@SKasiewicz