28 April 2024 will be remembered in the history of Bologna Football Club 1909 as a historic date: the rossoblù club is arithmetically in Europe. In the 2024/25 season, the Bolognese club will be in one of the three UEFA competitions, having secured a place in the top 8 of this championship. The certainty arrived today evening with the 2-2 draw between Napoli and Rome. In fact, Bologna has become unreachable for the Italian champions, now stuck at 50 points, and has therefore arithmetically given Thiago Motta’s team the certainty of having qualified at least for the Conference League.
Bologna in Europe because…
Although, at the moment, the ranking only assigns 7 places in the European Cups (5 in the Champions League, 1 in the Europa League and 1 in the Conference), the game is over. In fact, eighth place in the Cups (second place in the Europa League) will eventually be assigned by the Italian Cup, which will be played against Juventus, already qualified for the Cups, and Atalanta, pursuing Bologna, on May 15th.
In the worst possible scenario, with Atalanta out of the top 7 and winners of the Italian Cup, Bologna would be 7th with 63 points, the rossoblù would have qualified for the Conference League. Since in that case Bologna would only be overtaken by Roma, Fiorentina and Lazio.
However, if Bologna were also overtaken by Atalanta at the end of the tournament, and the latter won the Italian Cup, eighth place would automatically count towards the Conference League.
Europe is reality
However, there will be no problem if Atalanta were to lose the Italian Cup final. In fact, in that case the championship would assign 8 places in Europe. Eight teams and not seven, as usual thanks to the now famous ranking. This is a bonus that Serie A has earned thanks to the excellent European results. One has been added to the 4 teams in the Champions League thanks to the bonus place provided by the new formula of the new Champions Cup. The 2 places in the Europa League and one in the Conference remain unchanged. One of the two places in the Europa League is assigned alternatively by the Italian Cup or by the championship. But as we explained to you, even in the worst possible scenario for Bologna, even from 8th the rossoblù team would be in Europe. At least in the Conference League.
And be careful. From a Serie A perspective, there is the possibility that the teams will become 9 in the European Cups. In fact, if one of Roma and Atalanta were to win the Europa League, therefore have right to access the next Champions League and finish 5th in Serie A, the bonus place in the Champions Cup would go down to 6th position, leaving the things regarding the two places in the Europa League and the single place in the Conference.
Dream come true
In short, there is no longer any possibility that anyone will take away from Bologna the dream of experiencing the European nights again that have been missing for 26 years. The last time Bologna had faced a European competition, albeit a minor one, dates back to 22 years ago with the Intertoto. But to find Bologna involved in European competitions during the season you have to go back to the 1998/1999 season.
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