Bologna’s head coach Vincenzo Italiano is optimistic as his team prepares to face Monaco in the Champions League. Despite having only one point from their first three matches, Italiano believes the team is in good form and ready for the challenge.
“We’re in a good moment,” Italiano stated. “Arriving at this game with two consecutive wins is huge for us. Positive moments and successes mean a lot.”
The Italian side is still searching for their first Champions League goal and victory, sixty years after their last appearance in the competition. A win against Monaco would be crucial for their playoff hopes.
Italiano emphasized the importance of focusing solely on the Monaco match: “We’re not thinking about the Roma game. We need to concentrate on Monaco. They play an offensive style of football, so we’ll need to find some space to hurt them.”
The coach also praised the atmosphere at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, calling on fans for their support: “The atmosphere at the stadium is fantastic. I hope people understand that we need them. The games are very tight, and we need everyone, especially our fans.”
Regarding key player Lewis Ferguson, Italiano provided an update: “He’s increasing his workload and wants to get into condition. His personality is enormous, along with his quality. Little by little, we’ll get him to peak condition.”
Young midfielder Kacper Urbanski, who may start in place of Nikola Moro, expressed his excitement about playing at this level: “These are enormous emotions, being able to play at this level. But I can’t stop, I have to look ahead.”
Italiano also discussed tactical considerations for the match: “Monaco’s two full-backs become attackers. We’ll need to try to maintain a high defensive line to prevent them from getting close to our area.”
While acknowledging the team’s ambition to reach the playoffs, Italiano stressed that the primary focus is on performance rather than results: “When we look at the table, we say we’ll try to reach the playoffs, but without obsession. The obsession is to play well, not looking at the standings.”
