Page 33 - Soccer360 Issue 107

Bologna, TOP:
Vincenzo Italiano leads Bologna in 2024-25 after replacing Thiago Motta
Como, Top:
Former Spain star Cesc Fabregas is a high-profile appointment as Como boss
BOLOGNA
LAST SEASON
FINISH: 5th place RECORD: 18-14-6
MOST GOALS: Zirkzee (11)
CAGLIARI
LAST SEASON
FINISH: 16th place RECORD: 8-12-18 MOST GOALS: Viola (5)
Veteran coach Claudio Ranieri bowed out from club football on a high after keeping the Sardinian club in Serie A last season. Now survival specialist Davide Nicola has the challenging objective of making sure the island side stay in Serie A for a third year in succession.
Long serving Uruguayan Nahitan Nandez departed for Saudi Pro League side Al- Qadsiah, yet fresh additions Sebastiano Luperto and former Atalanta duo Roberto Piccoli and Nadir Zortea add depth and elite level experience. Angolan international winger Zito Luvumbo was a potent creative presence in the 2023-24 campaign and will be expected to make further progress this term.
KEY PLAYER
Zito Luvumbo
COMO
LAST SEASON
FINISH: 2nd (Serie B) RECORD: 21-10-7
MOST GOALS: Cutrone (14)
DID YOU KNOW?
Fabergas, the former Arsenal, Barcelona
and Monaco midfielder joined Como as a player in 2022, also becoming
a shareholder in the club alongside Thierry Henry. By then, Como had already reached Serie B and having retired a year later, Fabregas would be appointed
as Coach in November 2023.
The Rossoblu shocked Serie A by placing fifth in the 2023-24 campaign and securing a place in the Champions League with
a squad full of breakout stars. Yet after clinching a spot in Europe’s premier competition for the first time in 60 years they lost coach Thiago Motta to Juventus, Italy’s newest defensive linchpin Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal, and top marksman Joshua Zirkzee to Manchester United.
How the Emilia-Romagna club balances the demands of Serie A and Europe will determine if they can challenge for the top six again under new manager Vincenzo Italiano. Injured captain Lewis Ferguson
is sidelined until the end of 2024 while they’ll hope Dutch striker Thijs Dallinga can make an impact following his move from Toulouse, along with fellow new recruits Emil Holm (Atalanta) and Nicolo Cambiaghi.
KEY PLAYER
Thijs Dallinga
Back in Serie A for the first time in 21 years the Lariani’s billionaire Indonesian owners spent heavily to ensure they stay in the Italian top-flight, catching the eye with
a number of high-profile signings to go with the appointment of former Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas as head coach.
In a stunning summer move, World Cup winning French centre-back Raphael Varane was recruited from Manchester United, one of several squad additions funded by The Djarum group, who took control of the Lombardy club in 2019 after two bankruptcies in the last 20 years. Italy striker Andrea Belotti arrived from Roma, as well as defender Albert Dossena, Spanish veterans Pepe Reina and Alberto Moreno from Villarreal and experienced Sampdoria goalkeeper Emil Audero. It’ll be interesting to see how this new-look team fares in Serie A.
KEY PLAYER
Andrea Belotti
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