News Focus
- Vincenzo Italiano confirms he will meet Bologna directors to discuss his future at the club
- Jonathan Rowe scores a spectacular stoppage-time volley after starting on the bench with a foot injury
- Bologna complete a league double over Napoli following a 3-2 triumph in Naples
- Striker Santiago Castro earns a place in Argentina’s 55-man World Cup long-list
Vincenzo Italiano has revealed he will hold talks with Bologna officials about his future at the club. The manager made this statement after his side secured a dramatic 3-2 victory against Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
The Rossoblu had faced heavy criticism after failing to score in their previous four matches. However, they gave a strong response by defeating the Serie A champions both home and away this season.
Bologna raced to a 2-0 lead thanks to Federico Bernardeschi and a Riccardo Orsolini penalty. Napoli fought back with goals from Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Alisson Santos to make it 2-2.
Jonathan Rowe decided the match in added time. The substitute scored with a brilliant acrobatic volley. Italiano explained that Rowe started on the bench because of a bruise on his foot from the game against Cagliari.
“I told Rowe he could play for 20 to 25 minutes,” said Italiano. “He brings unpredictability. He did not train much last week because of the injury.”
The manager praised the English winger for using his talent when he came onto the pitch. He also defended Bernardeschi, noting that English players often need extra time to adapt to Italian football.
“Bernardeschi needed four months to understand our movements,” Italiano stated. “He is young and shows great quality. His fitness levels are impressive.”
Italiano also spoke about Santiago Castro. The striker has been named in Argentina’s first list of 55 players for the World Cup. The coach believes Castro can become a great centre-forward if he keeps working hard.
Bologna currently sit in eighth place. They cannot qualify for European competitions this season. However, they can still secure a better seeding for next season’s Coppa Italia.
Regarding his own situation, Italiano addressed rumours linking him with clubs such as AC Milan and Napoli. He confirmed a meeting will take place to review the season.
“We will discuss how the campaign went and future plans,” he said. “This is a top club with a great atmosphere. We were sad about the recent jeers from fans. We will see what happens next.”