BOLOGNE, ITALY – 28 APRIL: Marco Di Vaio of FC Bologne has their Serie A TIM match between FC Bologne and Udinese Calcio at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on 28 April 2024 in Bologne, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Bologna manager Marco Di Vaio insists the Rossoblu are fully focused on a Serie A match against Atalanta before traveling to Liverpool at Anfield next week.
Vincenzo Italiano’s side won their first Serie A match last week, beating Monza away 2-1.
They welcome Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta to the Stadio Dall’Ara this evening before a Champions League match against Liverpool on Wednesday.
Bologna replaced Thiago Motta with Vincenzo Italiano this summer after qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in over 60 years.
Di Vaio: Bologna ‘focus’ on Atalanta, ‘then the rest’, including Liverpool
“We knew the start could be difficult,” Di Vaio told DAZN before kickoff.
“When you change coaches, it’s always complicated, especially after two positive seasons here. A victory always brings enthusiasm, so the team worked well this week. Tonight we meet a strong team; then we will focus on the rest.
Italiano reached two consecutive Europa Conference League finals with Fiorentina, but lost to West Ham in 2023 and to Olympiacos in 2024.
“Starting again with a new coach means starting from scratch and bringing new ideas. We hope to speed up this process thanks to the patience of the coach and the desire of the guys to improve,” Di Vaio said.
Bologna technical director Giovanni Sartori worked for Atalanta for several years, contributing to their growth on and off the pitch. Is there anything Bologna would like to get out of La Dea?
“Their journey over the last few years has been breathtaking,” admitted Di Vaio.
“It would be great to do the same thing.”
Bologna have six points from the first five Serie A games of the season. They drew 0-0 against Shakhtar Donetsk in their 2024-25 Champions League debut on September 18.
You can follow live updates from Bologna-Atalanta on the Football Italia LIVEBLOG.
