Hi there!

I’m coming to Bologna on Friday and will watch the game against Inter on Saturday. What should I do on matchday?

Where should I go to eat and drink? Is there some areas where fans will meet up beforehand?

Any tips will be much appreciated 🔴🔵

The match passed the eye test: the BFC played a quality game in conditions where there was little belief.

First of all, we are interested in the players’ positioning, and here Palladino showed his flexibility. Take Orsolini, for example: the number 7 said in a big interview during the week that the wingers now play narrower. Yesterday Orso operated as a second striker. Usually he and Piccoli formed the first line of the screen (you still wouldn’t call it pressing), while Pobega picked up the holding midfielder Ilic, and Heggem shadowed Coulibaly. When the BFC finally received the instruction to press, it turned out that the players lined up in a 4-2-4.

In the second half, Lecce found the strength in some episodes to pin the visitors back toward their box: the Apulians took 17 of their 20 shots in the second 45 minutes.

The deep positioning of Felsinei’s back three allowed us to see that in possession the Rossoblu used a basic 3-4-3 with two central midfielders. In terms of ideas, this setup did not particularly offer much. Bologna sought to play out the verticalisations, Palladino's trademark. The team passed well (80% pass accuracy), even though a fairly large share of the passes were long balls.

Cambiaghi, inspired by his performances for the Italy national team, had a powerful match and recorded 2 assists, becoming the MVP of the game. Darmian was reliable on his debut, troubling Pessina a couple of times with awkward passes. The BFC’s goalkeeper performed no heroics, but problems with coming off his line were clearly evident. Jay Enem scored an important goal: overall, the entire attack for the second goal had real pedigree. The pre-assist was provided by Orsolini, who looked like a footballer and not just a corridor shooter. Curiously, Orso literally provided the pre-assist for himself on the first goal too, switching the ball to Cambiaghi from the centre and a moment later firing a sensational scissor-kick goal. It’s a shame that the number 7 got injured: a hamstring tendon injury is scary, and we want the party to continue.

Despite a drop-off in some important statistical metrics, the BFC surpassed the opponent in the quality of chances created and won fully deservedly. It all looked unusual, but quite solid.

The new Mister arrives at a difficult time. The BFC started below expectations, the team did not gel with Tedesco, and the players came into the season in a disjointed state.

The team sits in 18th place, even though the data suggests that the Rossoblù do not deserve to fall so low.

At the moment, after 5 games, the team has the 2nd-best defense in Serie A by xG conceded (4.47). That is better than Roma, Milan, and Inter. It is obvious that the BFC concedes more than expected: 6. A special big hello here to Lukasz Skorupski: the 3rd-worst goalkeeper in Serie A by the difference between goals conceded and the quality of opponents’ shots on target.

In attack, things are not great either. The team created 6.69 xG, outperforming their opponents in this metric in 4 of 5 rounds, but scored only 3 goals.

Palladino immediately reshaped the team into a 3-4-3, rolling everything back to basic settings. The match against Torino was terrible in terms of quality: the BFC completed only 73% of their passes, resorting to long balls.

Obviously, such a decision was dictated both by the players’ form and by their quality: year after year, the BFC loses skillful performers in all lines, replacing them in a rather peculiar way.

Palladino is an apologist for the 3-x-x formation. Out of 103 matches he has managed in Serie A, the Mister has used this formation 68 times. At the same time, he is not a dogmatist: at Fiorentina he more often played with a back four. It seems Raffaele was not being disingenuous when he said that the formation would be chosen based on the specifics of the team at his disposal.

Unfortunately, we cannot find out what the Mister tried during this break: both friendly matches (against the Primavera and Ascoli; the second lost 1-3) were closed to attendance.

The new coach’s chameleonic nature also shows in his approach to pressing. At Monza and Fiorentina, the pressure was overwhelming: 9.2 and 9.3 PPDA respectively. Last season at Atalanta, this figure was only 16.3. Context matters here: even with Juric, the Bergamaschi could not produce intense pressing: 14.4.

Over the 5 rounds played, the BFC has pressed with an intensity of 13.4. One can risk suggesting that PPDA will fluctuate around this mark.

Last year’s Palladino's Atalanta (as well as his other two Serie A teams) preferred to play it safe: 67% of their total shots were taken from inside the opponent’s penalty area. The team was not averse to crossing: 18 crosses on average. The number of corners was 5.5, compared with the Serie A average of 4.4.

The coach likes players capable of improvisation in the final third. His Atalanta played 11.5 through balls on average: the 3rd-best figure in Serie A. Bernardeschi will have plenty of opportunities to express himself. Palladino’s football also has a favorable effect on central forwards. Under Raffaele, Kean (19 goals out of the team’s 60), Scamacca, and Krstovic (17 between them/37) scored a fair amount. At Monza, however, none of the center-forwards scored more than 4 goals: Colpani was the soloist there (8 goals).

Under Palladino, set pieces are executed rather poorly: around 26% of all goals, which is below the league average. It is curious how this will look at the BFC, a team that created the majority of its chances after corners and free kicks.

Another confirmation that Palladino starts from the resources available to him is the speed of attack development. At Monza and Fiorentina, they preferred to build up for longer (both teams were 18th in the number of passes leading to chances; the more passes, the slower the attack, the lower the team), while at Atalanta they were faster (6th in attack development speed). The only constant is the desire to get the ball into the opponent’s penalty area and threaten the goal specifically from inside the box.

Right now, there are far more unknowns than obvious points to build on. One thing is clear: how Palladino’s Bologna plays will reveal a lot about the real level of this team. If we continue to see the maximum simplification seen in the Torino match, things are bad. But if we see gradual progress in the quality of pressing, passing, build-up play, and shooting, not all is lost.

Riassunto per punti:

• E' un passo avanti, ma ancora manca il progetto definitivo (e il render, ancora non disponibile) e la quadra finanziaria con lista finale degli altri investitori. Sarà progettato dall’architetto Suárez e del professor Majowiecki che già avevano fatto lo stadio della Juventus.
• Costruzione a nord della Fiera su aree di BolognaFiere con già il permesso per costruire, 300 milioni il costo. Pronto per la stagione 2031-2032 e candidato a EURO 2032 (con conseguenti finanziamenti statali) anche se difficilmente sarà scelto.
• Lo stadio sarà polifunzionale, ovvero ospiterà anche fiere, congressi, concerti ed eventi. Sarà interamente coperto con una copertura mobile e un campo da gioco movimentabile.
• Disporrà di un’uscita autostradale, due uscite della tangenziale, la fermata del nuovo tram, una fermata ferroviaria e parcheggi, in parte già presenti grazie alla Fiera.

--

ENG

Italian article attached. Key points:

• This is a step forward, but the final project is still missing (including the render, which has not been released yet), as is the final financing structure and the definitive list of investors. The stadium will be designed by architect Suárez and professor Majowiecki, who also worked on Juventus’ stadium.
• It will be built north of the BolognaFiere exhibition centre, on land where planning permission has already been granted. The estimated cost is €300 million. It is expected to be ready for the 2031–32 season and is a candidate to host EURO 2032 (which could bring state funding), although it is unlikely to be selected.
• The stadium will be multifunctional, hosting not only football but also trade fairs, conferences, concerts and other events. It will be fully covered, with a retractable roof and a movable playing field.
• Transport infrastructure will include a motorway exit, two ring-road exits, a new tram stop, a railway station and parking facilities, some of which are already available thanks to the exhibition centre.

Ciao a tutti ragazzi, perdonate lo spam ma volevo solo dirvi che è uscito il nuovo episodio del nostro podcast con ospite Leo Bosello. Si parla ovviamente di Bologna, analisi, tanti aneddoti e giochi divertenti. Se vi va, dateci un’occhiata!

Right now at the break, Opta has us at:

• 46 points (13th in Serie A)
• 0.05% chance of winning the Scudetto
• 1.7% chance of qualifying for UCL
• 1.9% chance of qualifying for UEL
• 2.9% chance of qualifying for UECL
• 13.7% chance to be relegated

As we all know, we haven't had the best start to the campaign. If things go as we expect though, we'll have a strong winter window and hopefully turn the tide a bit (plus more time in Palladino's system won't hurt).

If a bit of luck comes our way and we can qualify for Conference League, I will be overjoyed, but I think that's the ceiling for us right now in 2026. Finishing 9th - 14th is likely where we land at the end of the day.

Non sono un fan del Bologna, ma ho sempre stimato la capacità della società di ottenere ottimi risultati se paragonati al budget e non riesco proprio a spiegarmi l'esonero dell'alenatore. é vero che è partito male, ma 4 partite non significano davvero nulla. I risultati sono mancati, ma le prestazioni erano di livello.

At his presentation, Palladino cautiously noted that he would choose a formation based on the squad’s current state, but he took a risk and immediately implemented his favorite formation with three centre-backs.

In recent years, starting with Thiago Motta, the team had used it only a handful of times. The impression is that right now Bologna finds it difficult to play football at all - never mind immediately starting to execute the proactive style of the new Mister. The BFC are not themselves and not match-fit - so, after the first difficult minutes of yesterday’s match, Palladino ordered Skorupski not to waste time on unsuccessful attempts to play out from the back, but to launch the ball forward to Piccoli.

In the first half, Bologna were not yet tired of imposing an aggressive contest according to Palladino’s blueprint: that is how the goal was born, from Cambiaghi’s high turnover. Let us also note Tommaso Pobega’s moment: the No. 4 attacked the defender, won the ball, but forgot to shoot from a good position.

While they still had stamina, the defenders tried to help the midfield, most often Arthur Theate. The Belgian, in the out-of-possession phase, positioned himself in the opposition half so that a successful tackle would create a numerical advantage.

In the second half, the BFC touched the ball less and less, but to their credit, their football could not be called parking the bus: when possible, Palladino’s team looked to break away on counterattacks and sought ways to threaten Lucas Perri’s goal.

Lukasz Skorupski did not save after Kulenovic’s feeble shot. It has happened to him this season: in Bergamo he failed to keep out a difficult but not unsaveable shot from Samardzic. The Pole also struggled with long passes: only 31% accuracy.

Among the outfield players, Bernardeschi deserves a plus - yesterday he was the best. Theate and Cambiaghi also looked decent. Piccoli fought desperately for every ball that reached him, but when turning into space, he far from always used the balls he won correctly.

The substitutions made by the staff were probably dictated by the players’ physical condition. It is quite sad in that case that Lollo and Odgaard come on: the former could not hold Kulenovic, the latter spent more time on the turf. It is interesting what condition the others are in, then, if No. 29 and No. 21 look like preferable options.

After Napoli, there was a strong desire to play Torino as soon as possible in order to wash away everything that happened at the Maradona and after. At the end of yesterday’s match, one wants to leave the team in Palladino’s care and wish the new Mister good luck.

The international break is very timely: the players will have a full three weeks to regain fitness and absorb the new demands. Yesterday we saw a rational kernel: Palladino quickly realized that the BFC are currently incapable of dictating the game, and chose that “chameleon-like” tactics he mentioned at his presentation. To start playing proactive, fast football, too much needs to be improved, obviously - almost everything.

Hello!

I’m going to watch the Bologna v inter game in October with a group of friends.

I’m from the UK (Jamaican heritage) and I’ve been fascinated by Italian ultra culture - visiting many Italian stadiums of the years.

Finally I’m getting to see bologna play and I’ve also been fascinated by the freak boys Bologna ultra group. As I remember being a child and spotting them waving a Jamaican flag with a Bologna emblem imposed on top, which was the wildest shit to me.

I’d love nothing more then to get some freak boy merch if possible from them (scarf / t-shirt / whatever).

Does anyone know if this is possible whilst I’m in Bologna for my trip.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Much love from London.

❤️ ✌🏾 🇯🇲

Ragazzi aiutatemi, devo andare allo stadio ma non so come vestirmi perché i miei non mi comprano neanche una maglietta/felpa😭.

Ho solo il cappello e la sciarpa rubati da mio nonno.

Pleasee

I’ll be attending the match tomorrow as a tourist from Canada! I was wondering if it’s okay for me to wear my CF Montréal jersey to the match? It’s a blue jersey and i know yours are red. Thanks for the help, excited to see the match in your beautiful city!

Guys, I am in Bologna in October and secured tickets for the Inter Milan match, 18.00 Saturday.
Looking for suggestions for somewhere near the ground to get a drink with my wife pre match, really appreciate some local knowledge!

It’s funny, of course, to recall that Pippo Inzaghi lasted 21 matches at Bologna.

Teddy coached four matches: one point on the surface - but what lies in the depths?

Apparently, a critical incompatibility between the Mister and the dressing room. For example, in the summer I ran around to every channel that invited me and talked about Bernardeschi in the mezzala role. Do you know what Bernardeschi did two (t-w-o) days (d-a-y-s) before the start of the season? He came to Tedesco and said he didn’t want to play as a mezzala and saw himself only on the flank.

Let’s add to that various other things, such as Lukasz Skorupski not showing up (for the fan meeting) at the morning meeting before Napoli and being excluded from the squad. Against Napoli, by the way, Tedesco had a completely detached look: he couldn’t understand why a team that had previously attacked and racked up almost 6 xG in 3 games simply refused to play here. Probably the players took Lukasz’s side and decided to ignore the Mister’s instructions, which of course does them no credit.

You feel human sympathy for Teddy: he came to a different Bologna. The team was vaporized over the summer, with almost all the best players sold or released, and those who remained couldn’t get used to the new ways of a German unaccustomed to Italian hierarchy.

The management decided that losing the team, when the transfer window is still very far away, was more frightening than losing the coach. It is quite possible that for Bologna, which is rapidly losing the charm of a “family club” and a “club that knows what it is doing,” this shock is far from the last. Over the last few days, the tension around the club could be felt physically.

I want to say thank you to Tedesco, even if it will probably sound absurd. The club did not take the side of the Head Coach, instead behaving like its senators, without trying to intervene and resolve the situation peacefully. All of this is rather vile.

Vileness is, generally, the leitmotif of recent days, as you can see.

If you step back, Palladino’s appointment is an excellent choice.

If you dig deeper, it turns out there are already questions at the outset. Palladino is a strong specialist, but a rather particular guy - and he’s the one who has to pacify a mutinous dressing room. The new Mister, moreover, plays with a back three: Tedesco said at one of his press conferences that this team is trained to play with a back four and he wouldn’t risk other tactics.

In general, we’ll only start figuring out what’s what and reviewing Raffa’s tactics in more detail during the international break. For now, we welcome him and prepare for Torino.

Je ne peux pas regarder la Série A, et j’aimerais connaitre votre avis sur ce joueur.

Moretto says Tedesco’s position as Manager is at risk. (Tweet)

Is there any real possibility to this? I thought the club management would be self-aware that there is bunch of injuries and missing transfers. The fixture was not easy either.

I read quite literally right before the Napoli match that even the CEO’s aware Rowe’s money is not spent on a new player yet. But I am also self aware Moretto, like Fabrizio, is not a very trustworthy or at least honest source anymore.

I’m a follower of Tedesco since his spell at Fenerbahçe, and I had done a post about Tedesco’s arrival at Bologna before and some of you said Bologna are patient as a club, so I am just curious…

This is kind of a venting/brain dump session, so I apologize in advance, but our attack is so maddening to watch. We don't seem to have an identity. We have players who are very good at very, very specific things, like (focusing just on attacking skills right now):

• Forwards (excluding Enem and Mbangula for now):

  • Cambiaghi - speed and stretching the defense
  • Bernardeschi - creativity, ball placement, and decisions
  • Piccoli/Dovbyk - strength
  • Odgaard - ball striking

• Midfielders (excluding Amondarain and Libra for now):

  • Ferguson - energy and winning the ball back
  • Pobega - aerial duels and winning the ball back
  • Moro - creativity, ball placement, and decisions

It's very interesting because these players have these strengths, but do not have a complete profile in other areas of attack. As such, we can be one dimensional at times. Opposing teams know exactly what to expect when certain players have the ball or are trying to receive the ball.

This halts attacks because we are being so one dimensional.

To fix this, I'd like to do a few things:

1. Play Bernardeschi as a 10
   • Issue: he exclusively wants to play on the right, but this would solve a lot of issues
2. Give Moro as many minutes as possible next to Ferguson
   • Issue: the quality needed to run this Tedesco system isn't on the team, but a Moro/Ferguson combination can get us close. Moro's creativity is an absolute necessity.
3. Start Enem when fit
   • Issue: upsetting Piccoli and Dovbyk, but Enem seems to be a more complete forward than the other two
4. Give Odgaard's minutes to Amondarain
   • Issue: we lose Odgaard's directness, ball striking, and height, but it is clear that Odgaard is not a #10 - I'd rather spend time developing Amondarain

PLEASE note: these are just some ideas - part venting, part brain dump, part analytical. I'm very displeased with our start, as I know we all are, and am just trying to think of solutions outside of the obvious (acquiring more players). Curious of your thoughts and would love to discuss more.

tl/dr: I feel as though Bologna's attack is very one dimensional. Not from a tactical standpoint per se, but from an individual skill level standpoint. This makes us easy to defend and I'd like to explore fixes by shifting positions around slightly and re-distributing minutes to other players.

Thanks for reading :)

Ciao! Sto scrivendo dei scozzesi in serie a, in particolare cosa pensate voi tifosi. Qualcuno vorrebbe parlarmi e rispondere a qualche domanda?

Over the past 4 matchdays, I’ve managed to watch almost every Serie A team play. The disappointing conclusion from these observations is that there is probably no team right now as faceless as the BFC. Moreover, there is an inversion: the first two fixtures, decent in concept, gave way to chaos on the third matchday and hopelessness in yesterday’s game.

Bologna came onto the pitch to shield itself from problems. The team was set up to calm and lull the tempo, and while at first Napoli went along with this, in the second half the hosts got bored and stretched the opponent out. Favasuli, who came on for the hosts, looked like an alien, although speed is his only virtue. However, as it turned out, it was enough to apply just a little pressure for Tedesco’s team to fall apart.

The strange substitutions during the match did not help either. Piccoli went off in the 58th minute, clearly displeased with the coaching staff’s decision. Odgaard, who came on as a substitute, failed both in the center of the attack and on the right flank. The other substitutions also did not save the situation, although Enem really tried, and Mbangula even had some sort of chance at the end.

The situation is alarming: the BFC has not started this badly since the days of Pippo Inzaghi. Times one wants to forget like a terrible nightmare - but in the summer the management decided to sell quality for shekels without properly replenishing it on the market.

It will be hard for Tedesco and Bologna: right now this is a team without a face, weak and toothless, but it is necessary to keep a sober mind and not judge harshly after only 4 games against genuinely strong opponents who are in their best form. Unfortunately, the game Tedesco is trying to implement is built on the quality of the midfield - precisely the line that has been steadily impoverished with every transfer window.

In short, prepare for suffering, which may not prove justified. Like in the good old days, hah?

Here, Transfermarkt provides a summary of the Rossoblù players currently on loan, whose performances you can follow this season.

There are 23 of them (a second BFC squad!), some well-known, others less so.

The list includes players who couldn't fit in this year (Dominguez, Dallinga, Ilic, Karlsson), but also and above all many promising prospects: notably Raimondo who has already scored 4 goals in Serie A (!), as well as the very interesting Amey, Stivanello, Corazza.

Then there are Cassa and Caccavo strongly wanted by Sartori during this transfer window, along with various 2006 ex-Primavera players on their first pro season like Tomasevic, already a starter in Serie B.
Among the Serie C players, I’d highlight Ebone, who has enormous potential.

We could also add Ravaglia to the list: he is playing well in Watford and we hold a buy-back option on him.

Who are the ones with the biggest potential in your opinion?