Sometimes it happens, in some moments of life, that we have the instinct to look back and ask ourselves how things were in a certain past moment. This can be scary at times, because in doing so you realize how much time has passed and how quickly the days and years pass. Other times, all this is useful for putting together events and moments that led to living the present as we know it. This applies to any area of our life.
That’s why, faced with this incredible championship of Bologna, my thoughts instinctively went back to where it all began, ten years ago. Precisely because of the extraordinary nature of the season, we instinctively retrace all the most important moments of the last ten years. Bologna returning to Europe, 22 years after the last one Intertotostarts from a bitter, sad and disheartening day for those who support the rossoblù colours: the11 May 2014.
Relegation and the risk of bankruptcy
It’s May 11, 2014 and the Bologna recedes into B series after six seasons in the top league: fatal for the team Ballardini, the 1-2 defeat at Dall’Ara against Catania, who were also relegated. 2014 is a relegation that has been almost announced for some time: in January, the farewell of Diamonds, symbol man and captain, in fact gives the final blow to a season that started badly and ended worse. Bologna is relegated to Serie B, but this is not the main thought of the fans present at the Dall’Ara that day.
The main problem is that their favorite team, after this relegation, could find themselves having to starting with the amateurs. In fact, the last few months have highlighted all the financial problems of the club, led by Albano Guaraldi more and more confused. Meetings start, meetings between the president of Bologna and his collaborators, the mission is only one: to avoid failure, to avoid starting from scratch D Series.
In mid-June, more than a month after relegation, a miracle happens: Bologna is still alive. Guaraldi and the members (thanks also to the participation of Gianni Morandi, an essential figure at that moment) guarantee a guarantee that allows Bologna to start planning the next Serie B championship. What happens is very similar to a miracle, since only a few days earlier the rumor had spread that a police station had already been alerted bankruptcy trustee. Well, in mid-June Bologna and the square can finally breathe a sigh of reliefat least for now.
The feat in the summer market by Filippo Fusco
What lies ahead in the summer of 2014 is a very complicated market for Bolognawho wants to aim for a return to at all costs A league right away. The company therefore chooses to rely on Filippo Fuscoa man closely linked to the dream of that market called Zdenek Zeman. Filippo Fusco would later reveal himself, as the months passed, to be the right choice of the entire Guaraldi era. No sooner said than done, in a short time Fusco seemed to find an agreement to bring Zeman to the Bologna bench, but, just when the Bohemian’s signature was one step away, Zeman refused and chose to move to Cagliari.
Decisive, in the choice of the technician, are the corporate problems of Bologna.
Fusco has to fall back on a plan B, and after a series of attempts (Eats above all), chooses to entrust the rossoblù bench to Diego Lopez. The Uruguayan coach has just returned from two overall positive seasons with the Cagliari Of Cellino. Once the coach has been decided, Fusco faces the most difficult task: putting together a team that can aim for Serie A, with very few financial resources available.
If the first miracle of that absurd summer was saving oneself from Serie D, the second was managing to build a team (without economic resources, it is worth repeating, ed.) who at the end of the first round found themselves at the very top of the rankings.
Fusco puts together high-sounding names for the cadetship, such as Cacia, Matuzalem, Maietta And Ceccarelli to name just a few, and young people with perspectives, such as Laribi, Bessa, Oikonomou And Buchel. A mix that will prove successful. In any case, on August 28, the day before their championship debut, Bologna avoided bankruptcy and put together a team that on paper looks like one of the strongest in the entire championship. Considering the situation just three months earlier, it is a great success.
From nightmare to American dream
The championship, therefore, begins. At the same time, however, already during the summer, the idea of one is becoming increasingly popular in society assignment. Among the many consortiums that say they are interested in acquiring the shares of Bologna Fc, however, there is one who seems to want it more than all. It is an American consortium headed by a very famous lawyer: Joe Tacopinawho immediately chooses Claudio Fenucci as his trusted man, at that time ad della Rome.
Guaraldi hesitates: he is not one hundred percent convinced of the American proposal. The negotiation towards the end of September is one step away from the breakup. Maximum Zanetti (with whom there had already been meetings at the beginning of the summer) is one step away from becoming the new owner of Bolognto. In the meantime, however, word of Joey’s involvement in the American consortium begins to spread KnownCanadian entrepreneur, president of Montreal Impact (where Marco fought Di Vaio). However, the most striking thing is that Joey Saputo is one of the 300 richest men in the world. This is enough to unleash the hope of the American dream in the city.
The American counter-offer proved to be much more satisfactory for the members, so much so that on the evening of 8 October, after a meeting between GuaraldiThe partners, Baraldi and the Americans, the company gives its approval to the consortium led by Tacopina (with all due respect to Zanetti). The party explodes in the city. On the night between 13 and 14 October 2014, Joe Tacopina becomes the new owner of Bologna. Alongside the American lawyer are Claudio Fenuccias a new ad, and especially Joey Knownas his partner.
On October 18th, the day of Bologna-Varese at the Dall’Ara, Tacopina appears under the Andrea Costa curve and collects the scarves thrown by the fans. The whole stadium screams: «Tacopina, take us to Europe».
The dream is finally reality: Bologna is safe, this time for real, but not only. The ownership behind the rossoblù club, led by American duo Tacopina – Saputo it is one of the strong, long-lasting, healthy ones.
From the nightmare of Serie D, the Bolognese now dream of return to Europe.
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