Bologna, Italian connected from the hospital against Steaua in Bucharest

It is confirmed: Vincenzo Italiano will follow Steaua (or FCSB)-Bologna remotely. And he will unleash himself, as much as possible, because adrenaline is part of his way of being. From the Sant’Orsola-Malpighi hospital, struck by pneumonia and hospitalized since Monday, the Bologna coach will “attack” as much as possible a match that becomes decisive because a point after two matches is not much. Even today, the club carried out technical transmission tests: to ensure that everything can be as real time as possible between communication, suggestions and changes to be made. But how is Vincenzo really doing? “He’s a little better – says his deputy Daniel Niccolini -: he takes antibiotics, then we’ll see how the situation evolves day by day”. Winning for Vincenzo becomes not only a necessity but a healthy consequence, and all in front of 3000 Bolognese fans who arrived here (Mayor Lepore included).

Knock knock and Thijs

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Daniel Niccolini replaced Vincenzo Italiano twice: on the Fiorentina bench (against Maccabi in March 2024) and for the rossoblù in the away game in Udine. Both matches were drawn. In short, Niccolini is undefeated. “If I feel emotion” – says Italiano’s deputy -? A lot but I am a support in this emergency, I am happy to also be able to show my qualities but we are a single body and a group of people, including the team, who are fantastic. Then the voice of a coach is different from that of a deputy or a collaborator… We spoke to Vincenzo often in these hours, he asked me how training went, there is total sharing. Race not to fail? It is certainly an important match, within a mini-championship in which you have to score points everywhere.”

Skorupski flag

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Meanwhile, Lukas Skorupski dictates the direction and also speaks of a good future will. Winning without any ifs or buts is the path to take, the word “flag” is a term that the Polish goalkeeper likes a lot. “A situation like this has already happened to us – says the Polish goalkeeper referring to what happened to Mihajlovic -, it’s not easy when your coach is ill and in this case it’s those who have already experienced it who have to help others. We certainly have only one objective, to win: we will play with great respect and without fear to give a gift to our coach. The renewal until 2027? I have been in Bologna since 2018 and very happy, I would also really like to close career here, if it goes well in 2027 maybe we’ll extend the contract further: the idea of becoming a flag is beautiful because nowadays there are few players who stay in teams for many years in a row.”

the opponent

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Bologna must beat an FCSB (Steaua) who are experiencing very hot moments. Twelfth in the championship and with furious fans who don’t want Alibec (formerly of Bologna, among other things) on the pitch, the team is led by the coach born in South Africa but of Cypriot nationality Elias Charalambous. “This is too much. Too harsh things have been said. I’m sure the players will take revenge. We have experience and know how to find a balance to help the players overcome the crisis. I think of our fans, we have to win for them.”