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Whats up! Bologna are in love with the Champions League. Borussia Dortmund… not a lot.
On the best way:
Bologna’s 60-Yr Journey
(Getty Photographs; design: Eamonn Dalton)
Sartori’s Midas contact
Giovanni Sartori is an Italian fixer. Or, strictly talking, the 67-year-old is a fixer of Italian golf equipment. In all places he goes, fortunes enhance — and little improves in soccer by likelihood.
He led Chievo’s revival from Serie C to Serie A. His refit of Atalanta teed them up for a Europa League title. And now, with Sartori pulling the strings once more, his deft contact has the Champions League anthem ringing across the streets of Bologna.
Bologna are at Anfield tonight, hosted by Liverpool within the Champions League’s preliminary stage. It’s new floor for the staff from the hills of northern Italy. They’ve by no means graced the competitors earlier than, or not in its Champions League period. They certified for the outdated European Cup simply as soon as, and went out within the preliminary spherical.
Their historical past boasts seven Serie A titles however whereas Bologna have been as soon as an enormous hitter domestically, their final scudetto got here in 1964. That makes this night’s tie their hottest sport for 60 years — a reward for his or her Canadian-Italian chairman’s dedication to pondering massive.
‘A dream to play at Anfield’
Bologna are majority owned by Giuseppe ‘Joey’ Saputo (above), the Canada-born businessman who based MLS franchise CF Montreal (previously Montreal Impression). Sartori is their technical director and Marco Di Vaio — a prolific Serie A striker in his time — holds the function of sporting director. Di Vaio completed his profession at Montreal.
The expansion at Bologna is the product of constantly stable judgement. Thiago Motta was a sound selection as head coach in 2022, the identical 12 months Sartori got here on the scene – a lot in order that Motta is now managing Juventus.
The standard of their type in Serie A final season, once they completed fifth and registered 17 clear sheets, will be gauged by Arsenal doing a £42m ($56m) deal to take Riccardo Calafiori off their fingers in July, two brief weeks after Manchester United paid Bologna £34m for Joshua Zirkzee (pictured above with Saputo).
They search far and large for gamers, from Switzerland to the Netherlands to the maligned Scottish leagues. Considered one of their centre-backs, Sam Beukema, practically signed for Liverpool head coach Arne Slot when Slot was answerable for Feyenoord. “I believe I can communicate for everyone,” Beukema advised James Horncastle. “It is going to be a dream to play at Anfield.”
Making a breakthrough
Atalanta have set the usual for hitherto forgotten golf equipment working their method again into the European arm wrestle. Atalanta’s 2017-18 Europa League look was their first in Europe for 26 years. Final season, they gained it— ending a 61-year anticipate a trophy.
Inevitably, Bologna may have their limits within the Champions League. Even Sartori can solely accomplish that a lot. However at a time when the strongest hold getting stronger, it’s good to know that top-tier soccer isn’t a closed store…
(Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Photographs)
Backlash and mismatches
It was again to actuality within the Champions League yesterday. Bologna is perhaps floating on fairytale fumes however, in my opinion, the match is having a little bit of an identification disaster.
Protected to say Borussia Dortmund’s followers despise the brand new nine-games-a-night format. Their crowd unfurled a placing tifo flag show (above), describing UEFA as ‘mafia’ and saying: “You don’t care in regards to the sport — all you care about is the cash.” Touche.
UEFA is but to resolve if the protest will end in any punishment for Dortmund. Previous historical past strongly suggests that it’s going to.
But when it’s trustworthy with itself, Europe’s governing physique must be asking whether or not its Champions League construction is all it’s cracked as much as be. Final night time was a plethora of mismatches: Dortmund smashing Celtic 7-1, Barcelona sticking 5 targets previous Younger Boys, Manchester Metropolis, Inter Milan and France’s Brest every profitable 4-0, and Arsenal making light-ish work of Paris Saint-Germain.
The stack of fixtures makes following them individually tough. Every spherical is being diminished to a highlights reel. Maybe that’s what UEFA meant, however epic, particular person clashes are what constructed the competitors within the first place.
Information Spherical-Up
(Getty Photographs; design by Eamonn Dalton)
Bruno’s Crimson & VAR
Each replay of Bruno Fernandes’ pink card on Sunday made an enchantment in opposition to it possible. OK, he caught James Maddison excessive on the shin together with his studs exhibiting, however he slipped as he ran, he dangled a leg out and customary sense stated he deserved a reserving.
Yesterday, an enchantment panel reviewed Manchester United’s defeat to Tottenham Hotspur and concluded — as Monday’s TAFC thought they could — that Fernandes’ dismissal must be rescinded. A 3-match ban for critical foul play not stands. It’s a small mercy for Erik ten Hag.
The problem is that the foul had already been reviewed on Sunday by the video assistant referee (VAR). On-pitch referee Chris Kavanagh didn’t have an ideal view of Fernandes’ lunge, however VAR Peter Bankes took a glance and backed the unique choice.
So one official stated pink. A second, with TV displays to assist him, agreed. However then a fee with extra time to replicate concluded that each are incorrect. You’ll keep in mind Wolverhampton Wanderers attempting to kill VAR as an idea on the finish of final season. Penning this morning, Jack Pitt-Brooke needs they’d succeeded. And check out as I would, I simply can’t get on board with the overview system both.
Round The Athletic FC
(Justin Setterfield/Getty Photographs)
Catch A Match (Occasions ET/UK)
Champions League: Girona vs Feyenoord, 12.45pm/5.45pm — Paramount+/TNT Sports activities; Aston Villa vs Bayern Munich, 3pm/8pm — Paramount+/TNT Sports activities; Lille vs Actual Madrid, 3pm/8pm, Paramount+, Fubo/TNT Sports activities; Liverpool vs Bologna, 3pm/8pm, Paramount+/TNT Sports activities; RB Leipzig vs Juventus, 3pm/8pm — Paramount+/TNT Sports activities.
And Lastly…
You recognize Jude Bellingham and also you’ll discover him doing bits for Actual Madrid later (see Catch A Match part), however how a lot have you learnt in regards to the different Bellingham — Jude’s brother, Jobe?
Jobe, 19, is having an honest season in England’s Championship. His membership, Sunderland, are high of the division with designs on a spot within the Premier League and his aim in a 2-0 win over Derby County yesterday forged him as a chip off his brother’s block. Not dangerous. Not dangerous in any respect.
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(High picture: Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Photographs)
