The time has come for the last great celebration for Bologna’s first historic qualification for the Champions League, the definitive embrace of the rossoblù to the city and vice versa after the celebrations already staged in recent weeks. At the Dall’Ara stadium, mayor Matteo Lepore presented the team with the Golden Nettuno then the entire group (players, technical staff and management) boarded the open bus, heading straight towards Piazza Maggiore where the first fans began to arrive well in advance.
CEO Fenucci: many players will remain with us, I hope all of them
At Dall’Ara Lepore he also wanted to remember Davide Ferrerio (the rossoblù fan in a coma after a beating due to mistaken identity in Crotone in August 2022) and Sinisa Mihajlovic, and announced the delivery of honorary citizenship to Bologna owner Joey Saputo in the near future: «I believe in destiny: we are in 2024 and Bologna won the scudetto in ’64, 60 years ago, obtaining the Golden Nettuno. Today, as then, someone watched us from heaven: President Dall’Ara in ’64, Sinisa Mihajlovic now. Then Pascutti achieved the record of 12 goals in 10 consecutive days and his strong point was his header: it is also Lorenzo De Silvestri’s, who is the team’s mayor and from now on he will be mine too.” Lepore presented the honor to Joey Saputo, who then passed it to De Silvestri on behalf of the team, while the rossoblù CEO Claudio Fenucci thanked: «Thank you for the important merit of the city and above all for what the team has done team this season. The beautiful thing is that this team makes the kids dream as the one 60 years ago did, it is a journey that begins again. Thanks to the arrival of Joey we return to positions that have not been seen for 60 years. The mayor said, I don’t know what the players will do in the future: I answer, many will remain with us, I hope they will all. We will do everything to keep them here to experience other emotions together.”
Path between the main streets of the city
The departure of the caravan was symbolically set in front of the Curva Andrea Costa, the beating heart of the rossoblù fans, then some of the main streets of the city wind along the route: via Sant’Isaia, piazza Malpighi, via Marconi and the climb up via Indipendenza to the square. Along the way, chants, applause and red and blue banners both at the windows of the apartments and in the shop windows to celebrate the feat but also in a last-ditch attempt to convince coach Thiago Motta not to leave Bologna. A contract is ready for him to lead Juventus and the fear that the decision has already been made is concrete given that the usual press conference with journalists before the last championship match, scheduled for Friday on the Genoa pitch, will not take place tomorrow . A bitter note that will not ruin the city’s great celebration.
The arrival in the square
After a long parade lasting over two hours, the team arrives in Piazza Maggiore to a triumphant welcome. Tens of thousands of people who had been waiting for the arrival of the rossoblù for at least an hour between the square and the surrounding streets waving flags, wearing t-shirts from all eras, lighting smoke bombs and chanting. The first, spontaneous, against Juventus who are about to steal their coach from Bologna. Microphone then to the ultras who launched the chants well known to stadium goers. After having circumnavigated the Crescentone, the bus stops in front of Palazzo D’Accursio and the team is overwhelmed by the love of the city. The buildings are lit up in red and blue, the fireworks go off, the enthusiasm is uncontainable.
The joy of Saputo
Announced one at a time in order of number, all the rossoblùs drew thunderous applause: from Orsolini to Zirkzee, from Calafiori to Saelemaekers passing through the very Bolognese Ravaglia, local pride. Big party also for Motta, announced to the public by Orsolini himself, and obviously for president Saputo who took the microphone to launch a chorus at the top of his lungs. In a square illuminated by smoke bombs and repeated fireworks launches, the rossoblù then imitated their number one encouraging fans to sing together for many intense minutes of celebration, concluded with the notes of “Poetica” by Cesare Cremonini and “The year that will come” by Lucio Dalla.
