You might not have realised if you’ve only watched Bologna this season but football can be a clinical and decisive game.
Before the Felsinei could play a game they were more than likely to lose, at Juventus, on Saturday evening, Sassuolo (and, to a lesser extent, Catania) had both made a bid for the crumbling safety ground upon which Bologna stood – 17th place. We’re coming to the breakneck part of the season and the Neroverde have taken the breaks off since Eusebio Di Francesco returned.
By kick off, Bologna were level on points with the Sassuolo, but behind them on head to head record, very definitely dancing with the dead men. Di Francesco’s side had, deservedly, pulled back the ground that they trailed and look a far more upwardly mobile proposition than any of their rivals.
This is about Bologna, though. Saturday, in effect taught us nothing. We saw a resolute Rossoblu eventually broken down by a Juventus who were a little short of full-strength. Such was the home side’s dominance that only Jonathan Cristaldo’s average position was in the Juventus half for the visitors.
In comparison, the Bianconeri’s back three were the only ones to average a spot outside the Veltri part of the field. Decamped indeed – and it showed. As much as a goal can be an inevitability without ever being seriously threatened, Paul Pogba’s strike was always going to happen.
So, Bologna were outclassed, outplayed and beaten. It was no disgrace, it was tightly fought and there was a possibility (albeit remote) that they might have grabbed something from the game, as at Inter a couple of weeks back.
It wasn’t to be, and the chickens from that run of winnable games in March that were passed up have come to roost. There’s no way the Felsinei can stop there, though. Level with Sassuolo, and with four games to go only serves to crank up the pressure. For a start, the local derby against Fiorentina next weekend will have an added layer of spice to it.
No excessive damage was inflicted by what was a narrow defeat, and some of the Rossoblu’s players came out with a fair bit of credit. Gianluca Curci, unsurprisingly, had a busy day but acquitted himself well throughout as he continues his fine form towards the end of the season.
Nicolo Cherubin, following his goal, demonstrated his ability in the defensive aspect. Of course, once again, Lazaros was the outlet for most of Bologna’s good work. He always seemed to be ploughing a disappointing furrow on Saturday, but was equally the most likely to garner any reward.
Not a bad day at the office, then, just one to forget.
Playing next Saturday evening means that the Veltri can lay a marker down to their lowly adversaries. It is Sassuolo’s turn to face Juventus on Monday night, while Chievo visit Sampdoria on Sunday; if Bologna can produce a derby victory against the Viola, they would sit above the Veronese side by the time that game kicks off.
There is a chance that Fiorentina might have one eye on the Coppa Italia final with Napoli next week, but for a derby game there’s no guarantee they’ll pass up the chance of putting their foot on Felsinei windpipe.
Come the weekend, it will be interesting to see the forward line Davide Ballardini goes with at the weekend. Jonathan Cristaldo seems to be cemented in the starting role, but this weekend saw Rolando Bianchi sit on the bench while Diego Laxalt, Daniele Paponi and Robert Acquafresca were all introduced to the side during the second half.
Admittedly, none of them made much of an impact, but to see the former Torino captain so far down the pecking order is illustrative of how much he’s fallen since joining Bologna in the summer.
There will, of course, be no clues as to what to expect. The team continue to train behind closed doors, and the media are kept very much in the dark about what is going on at Casteldebole. That allows only guesswork as to what to expect – yet there’s an element of futility there.
Whichever players Ballardini picks as his best option for the next game will be making the best of what he has. That’s what the season has come to and, as we stagger towards its conclusion, there’s still the lingering hope that it might be enough.
That, in itself, is indictment enough. On to Fiorentina then. Batten down the hatches and hope Lazaros can be the game-changer.
