As Bologna prepare to face Liverpool in their first away trip in the Champions League or European Cup since the 1960s, here is a look at what to expect from the Rossoblu at Anfield and how they replaced the likes of Riccardo Calafiori, Joshua Zirkzee and coach Thiago Motta.
Bologna were one of the surprise packages of the 2023-24 season in Serie A, storming to a fifth-placed finish, which was enough for them to qualify for the Champions League due to the competition’s expansion and Atalanta’s victory in the Europa League final.
The Rossoblu had looked strong contenders to finish last season in the top four, but fell just short in the final weeks of the campaign.
How Bologna replaced Calafiori, Zirkee and Motta
Thiago Motta was credited as the mastermind behind Bologna’s success last season. His services have since been snapped up by Juventus, who currently lead the Serie A table after six matches, with a record zero goals conceded over that period.
The club have replaced the former Italy international with former Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano, who, like his predecessor, tends to favour a back four and a front three.
There have, of course, been some fairly major personnel changes over the last few months. Italy international Riccardo Calafiori was sold to Arsenal for a sum just shy of €50m after an impressive break-out season in Serie A.
Bologna brought in a handful of defenders to replace him, including Nico Casale from Lazio and full-backs Juan Miranda and Emil Holm. However, the Calafiori ‘replacements’ have been promoted from within, as Sam Beukema and Colombia international Jhon Lucumi have been the go-to options at centre-back for most of the campaign.
The club also made a huge profit from the sale of Joshua Zirkzee to Manchester United, although a large chunk of that fee was paid back to the Dutchman’s former club, Bayern Munich.
Still, Bologna opted to bring in Thijs Dallinga, who became the club’s most expensive purchase of the summer at €15m. Similarly to how they replaced Calafiori, though, the most used striker so far this season has been Santiago Castro, who joined from Velez Sarsfield in January.
What to expect from Bologna against Liverpool at Anfield
Like their hosts, Bologna are expected to line up in a form of 4-3-3 when they take on Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday. Stefan Posch, Charalampos Lykogiannis and the aforementioned centre-backs Beukema and Lucumi have been mainstays in the back four so far this campaign.
Similarly, Switzerland internationals Remo Freuler and Michel Aebischer are good bets to start in midfield, as are the more advanced Giovanni Fabbian and Kacper Urbanski, who have had more opportunities in the starting line-up while Lewis Ferguson recovers from his long-term injury.
Though they sold Zirkzee, Bologna were able to keep hold of some of their other star attackers, such as Dan Ndoye and Riccardo Orsolini, who should also start against Liverpool if fit. It remains to be seen whether Italiano sticks with Castro, or gives Thijs Dallinga a run out at centre-forward.
Liverpool will of course be the firm favourites on home soil, but Bologna showed they are capable of keeping clean sheets in Europe with a 0-0 against Shakhtar Donetsk last time out.
