Football Season Guide

Having a limited amount of resources at their disposal, each and every summer, Bologna management are forced to build the squad hiring some hopeful youngsters or veterans in need of a revenge against the world, possibly through a net of loans from the richer teams. Of course, this means that, quite often, during the transfer campaigns Bologna turns into a sort of train station with plenty players coming and going. However, in the past two seasons coach Pioli proved capable of dealing even with such an unstable situation and he is expected to repeat himself even in the next future. The summer campaign saw the departure of key striker Gilardino and of more regulars like Gabbiadini, Perez, Mudingayi and Motta. Moreover, several fringe players, who only seldom had a chance to make the starting eleven, such as Pasquato, Guarente, Lombardi, Naldo, Carvalho and Pulzetti, also left as, in most cases, their loans ended. At the very same time, several players also returned from their loans, and this is the case for Acquafresca, Crespo, Casarini, Gimenez. While they are not expected to set their feet on the starting eleven on a regular basis, in a 4-2-3-1 formation Bianchi and Della Rocca should end up becoming the key striker, the former, and an anchor in the wall in front of the defence, the latter. Thus, the defence, with Curci in goals, should remain unaltered such as the line supporting the lone striker, with Kone, Diamanti and Christodoulopoulos confirmed. Diamanti represents the main question mark, though, as he is requested by several major clubs.