Thiago MottaRiccardo Orsolini, Joshua ZirkzeeRiccardo Calafiori, Lewis Ferguson. These are the main protagonists of the undertaking accomplished by Bolognaqualified in Champions League for the first time after appearing in 1964/65 (eliminated in the first round against Anderlecht after the “beautiful” match at Camp Nou and an unlucky coin toss). An absolutely unexpected result unpredictable on the eve of the championship, which even arrived two days early thanks to the success ofAtalanta in the direct clash against the Rome. The Giallorossi have dropped to sixth place in the standings, -7 behind Bologna. Too many to think about a comeback. The names mentioned above are the jewels, those that the Bologna will have to try to retain during the summer transfer window. A very complicated undertaking to try to grow further and play in Europe with maximum potential. They are the most visible elements, the ones that are discussed the most. Much less is said about who assembled the pieces of Bologna. The silent architect away from the spotlight thanks to whom square Greater it was filled with people, smoke bombs, chants and disbelief: John Sartori.
Footballer between the 70s and 80s (he won the title as a reserve Star of the Milan in 1978/79), born in Praises on March 31, 1957, Sartori is a old manager stylewho distrusts the algorithms, preferring to evaluate a footballer in person. It also makes extensive use of platforms to analyze the data of the observed elements, but the eye always has the last word. Obviously a work of collaborators And coaches, all round. Low profile is a lifestyle choice and more. In fact, there are just three clubs in which she has worked in more than thirty years career managerial: Chievo Verona, Atalanta and, precisely, Bologna. And all these clubs, under his hands, changed their history. The transition from the field to the desk came thanks to Campedelli, Louis, president of Chievo, Luca’s father. An intuition from which another career comes to life, clearly better than the modest one experienced by soccer player. Season after season, Sartoni helps make a small neighborhood team one reality national. The leap to Serie A, the qualification for Europe, the preliminaries of Champions League in 2006. A unique (and perhaps unrepeatable) journey that lasted until 2014, which also produced the discoveries of players like AmauriBarzagli, MarazzinaCorradi e Perrotta. His next stop is in Bergamo.
The path does not follow the steps of Veronabut it improves them: from the province to the Champions League (conquered three times, with the quarter-finals in 2019/20 and with two Italian Cup finals reached) until 2022. Eight seasons that have changed the dimension of Atalanta, making it a top team in Serie A. Constantly fighting for Europe. And here too the list of players he discovered (or relaunched from anonymity) is long: KessieCaldara, AccountsPetagna, GomezIlicic, RomeroDeRoon, ZapataHateboer, ChestnutsDjimsiti, KulusevskiKoopmeiners, Gosens, Malinovsky. By now, after his exploits with Chievo and Atalanta, he is one of the best managers in Italy. He probably could go anywhere, and instead he still chooses the provincewhere he can work following his methods, with less pressures. President Known signs him for his Bologna, and here too music change.
Illustrious unknowns are brought to the fore from the less traveled corners and squares of Europe: Ferguson (from Aberdeen), Posch (from Hoffenheim), Ndoye (from Basel), Aebischer (from Young Boys), Beukema (taken from Az Alkmaar). Not just foreigners though. For example, Calafiori he was signed from Basel after Roma had offloaded him. And then there is Zirkzee, an authentic masterpiece: 8.5 million plus 50% on future sales. Second Transfermarkt, its valuation is currently around 40 million euros. A coup that Sartori has often succeeded in the past. Buying low to resell high. Just think about Kulusevskibought by Atalanta for 200 thousand euros and resold to Juventus for 35 million plus 9 in bonuses. Or to Kessie, bought for 1.5 million and resold to Milan for 32 million. The sales were also excellent in Emilia. These are those of Theate at Rennes, of Hickey at Brentford and of Svanberg at Wolfsburg in the summer of 2022, of those of DominguezSchouten e Arnautovic in 2023. However, no departures have slowed down Giovanni Sartori’s Bologna. Indeed, the project was upward. So much, to reach the Champions League, with the possibility of finishing the championship in third place. A position that hasn’t been seen in these parts since 1966/67.
