“Bologna is on the rise; since President Saputo took over, we’ve been doing well. He’s ambitious, and everyone working with him is doing great. Since I arrived, it’s been a series of emotions. We’ve seen results, growth among players, and a level of cohesion I’ve never witnessed before.” Tomorrow’s match is one to be experienced “with great enthusiasm, which has accompanied us throughout this cup journey. We have a return semifinal with a packed Dall’Ara, and tomorrow everyone will come to support us. After 51 years, Bologna is back in such an important match; together we will strive to take another step towards history, knowing we’re up against a team of champions.”
Italiano is no stranger to significant challenges. “This is my seventh final, and getting here is already a tremendous achievement. Playing in finals is wonderful because it comes from a journey of defeating strong teams and surprising everyone, as our presence here wasn’t originally expected. Finals are meant to be won, yet reaching this point is already a satisfaction.”
Recent memories include the comeback defeat at Meazza last Friday: “I firmly believe we’re starting from zero, but we must understand what went wrong in that quarter-hour, recognize what we did well for 70 minutes, and build from that. Each time we’ve faltered, we’ve managed to respond, and I’m confident that tomorrow, given the match’s importance, we won’t even need the coach.”
And if victory arrives… “I had given up on making promises, but if we achieve the miracle, I’ll think about it afterward. We’ll plan something with the team – the focus is on what we need to prepare to challenge Milan. A significant step has been taken; we aim to take another.”
In the press conference, captain Lorenzo De Silvestri also spoke. “This is a group that gets along well. For two seasons, we’ve adopted a unique approach to games, combining awareness with a carefree spirit. We began this season tackling matches this way; we must approach tomorrow’s game similarly. It’s a final, requiring utmost focus, yet the same lightheartedness that’s served us well this season. This Bologna has set numerous records this year – he added – When our squad is complete and focused, we compete to win. The Champions League has taught us that as the level rises, we must elevate all our attributes. It’s a pride to have taken Bologna to the final.”
