Despite suffering a 2-0 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield, Bologna’s manager Vincenzo Italiano expressed pride in his team’s performance in their Champions League encounter. The Italian side showed courage and determination against one of Europe’s top clubs, creating several chances throughout the match.
Italiano began his post-match comments by stating, “We leave Anfield as we wanted: with our heads held high. We played a great game. We could have done better only on the first goal, but we showed great personality and created opportunities. This match was prepared with little time available.”
The Bologna coach highlighted the team’s brave approach, which may have caught Liverpool off guard. “Probably Liverpool didn’t expect such a courageous Bologna, capable of turning the field around. It’s a pity, maybe we could have scored a goal since they count in the standings. But we start again from the attitude, these are important building blocks for our journey,” Italiano explained.
He also noted how quickly the team overcame their initial nerves: “After a few minutes, the emotion passed, and we played a great game. We knew Liverpool’s strength. Now we think about the league, where we also need to score points.”
Bologna forward Riccardo Orsolini echoed his manager’s sentiments, emphasizing the team’s pride and emotion. “There’s a lot of pride and emotion. In football, you win and lose, but we used our game and valued our principles. Coming to Anfield is not easy for any team in the world, let alone for a reality like ours,” Orsolini said.
He continued, “We put in effort and desire; this defeat is less bitter. We tried to suffer as little as possible from the initial shock, we knew it. With a lot of character, we tried to play, even making mistakes, but with the awareness that we could recover from any error.”
Orsolini also highlighted the team’s commitment to their playing style, even in such a challenging environment: “As an objective, we want to play the ball on the ground. Doing it here wasn’t easy, but we tried anyway. When you play like this, you take risks and responsibilities. Regardless, it will be a legendary evening.”
