Bologna

—

Location: Bologna
Manager: Daniele Arrigoni
Ground: Stadio Renato Dall’Ara (Capacity: 39,444)

Pre-Season Training Began July 19th in Sestola
Friendlies Played: Bologna 7-0 Faro (July 20th)
Friendlies Scheduled: Rappresentativa della Montagna (July 23rd); Melbourne Phoenix (July 26th); Virtus Castelfranco (July 30th); Sassuolo (August 2nd); Japan Under-21 (August 6th); Ternana (August 9th); Rimini (August 13th); Aek Atene (August 18th)

—

In: Sergio Volpi (M, Sampdoria); Marco Bernacci (S, Ascoli); Cristian Zenoni (D, Sampdoria); Gabriele Paonessa (S, Avellino); Massimo Coda (S, Crotone); Dyego Rocha Coelho (S, Atletico Mineiro); Diego Rodriguez (M, Penarol); Manuel Angel Britos (D, Montevideo Wanderers); Gaby Mudingayi (M, Lazio); Stefano Okaka (S, Modena)

Out: Davide Di Gennaro (S, Genoa); Cristian Bucchi (S, Ascoli); Dino Fava (S, Treviso); Riccardo Bonetto (D, Lazio); Francesco Della Rocca (M, Sassuolo); Daniele Daino (D, Foggia); Davide Colomba (M, Foggia)

Negotiating For: Stefano Guberti (M, Ascoli); Simone Pesce (M, Ascoli); Edilson Cavani (S, Palermo); Tomas Locatelli (M, Siena); Freddy Adu (S, Benfica); Matteo Ferrari (D, Roma) Guglielmo Stendardo (D, Lazio); Riccardo Zampagna (S, Vicenza); Alberto Palosci (S, Milan); Jose Ignacio Castillo (S, Pisa); Roberto Guana (M, Palermo); Roberto Stellone (S, Torino); Luca Ariatti (M, Lecce); Edgar Alvarez (M, Livorno)\

Transfer Rating: 7

—

Seven-time Serie A champions Bologna return to Serie A with high hopes following a short stint in the lower division.  A defeat over Pisa in the Serie A promotion playoff saw the northern club return to Italy’s top flight for the first time since the 2004-05 season.  Adding strength to their side has been a top priority for this club in the off-season as they prepare to face the giants of Italy.  With only a signature pending, Bologna have added Roma-owned starlet Stefano Okaka Chuka to their new-look top flight side, along with talented Sampdoria duo Zenoni and Volpi. More recently, a key move was acquiring Belgian national Gaby Mudingayi from Lazio, a player who likely see plenty of first team action after struggling to do so in Rome.

“I’m here, I’m very happy,” said Mudingayi.  “I immediately felt comfortable with my new team mates and I’m sure I’ll do well, that’s the most important thing.”

Bologna have been in the news after the club was nearly bought by a group of American investors, but the deal recently collapsed.  Bologna President Alfredo Cazzola rejected a request from the would-be owners for a 3 week extension to a payment deadline, thus ending the possible sale.  Some may argue that foreign investment could have been a beneficial move for the future of this historic club and for their survival.

—

Probable Formation: 4-4-2
Antonioli; Rodriguez, Britos, Moras, Zenoni; Valiani, Mingazzini, Volpi, Coelho; Bernacci, Marazzina

Prediction: Lower-half finish (14th-17th place). The Rossoblu will have a rude awakening in the top flight, with the competition being tougher than ever.  They will struggle for survival, but ultimately will have enough talent to live to see another day in Serie A.

—

New Kits for 2008-09:

Albinoleffe stunned Brescia 2-1 to reach the Serie B playoff final.  The Bergamo side was trailing on aggregrate before today’s match, making this a must win situation.  Leffe advances with a 2-2 aggregate scoreline due to their better regular season standing.  Their opponent in the final will be southern minnows Lecce, who defeated Pisa 3-1 on aggregate to advance.  The first leg of the final will be in Bergamo on Wednesday, with the return leg being played the following sunday at Lecce.  The winner of the final will join Chievo and Bologna in earning promotion to the top flight.

Bologna are back in Italy’s top flight after beating Pisa 1-0. The lone goal was a Massimo Marazzina penalty kick and it was all they needed to hold on. The last stint in Serie A for the Rossoblu was back in the 2004/05 season. They join Chievo Verona in promotion, with only one spot remaining. The final spot will be determined in the promotion playoff that begins on Wednesday with a round of semifinals. Lecce travels to Pisa, while Brescia hosts Albinoleffe. The following Sunday will be the return leg where Lecce and Albinoleffe will be at home.

We already know that Empoli, Parma, and Livorno will be plummeting to the depths of Serie B next season, but the three clubs that will be taking their place is still up in the air. Only Chievo Verona have secured their top flight status after a 1-1 draw with Grosseto last week. The Flying Donkeys stint in Serie B was a short one, having been relegated from Serie A just last year. With one more week of the Serie B season to go, there are two promotion spots left. The team that finishes 2nd will be automatically promoted, while the 3rd through 6th placed teams will compete in the promotion playoff. 4th through 6th place has already been determined, but the final automatic promotion spot could fall to either Bologna (81 pts) or Lecce (80 pts). Bologna plays promotion contenders Pisa this weekend, while Lecce take on strugglers Vicenza. The team that fails to gain the final promotion spot will enter the playoff with Albinoleffe, Brescia, and Pisa. Albinoleffe’s Serie A hopes recently took a hit when manager Elio Gustinetti quit the club after a series of rows with the club President. It is now up to youth coach Armando Madonna to lead the Lombardian minnows in the playoff.