Bologna seeks to emulate Atalanta as a European spoiler
Despite the English rain falling, Bologna took control of their destiny Friday night with a 1-0 win at Empoli. The victory gave the visitors a more comfortable gap in fourth between them and fifth-place Roma (although Roma play Sunday). If Bologna hold on - and based on their play to this point it's very possible - they would secure a Champions League spot similar to how other small clubs have done in Serie A in the past 20 years.
Serie A is not a meritocracy; like every European league, it has the handful of superclubs that consistently compete for titles. Yet every few years a club upsets the order and establishes itself as a contender for Europe, supplanting clubs like Juventus or Roma who underperform or see point deductions. This year Bologna looks to be the next Atalanta or the next Sassuolo.
First a word about Bologna's history. While by modern standards it is not an Italian soccer giant, it is a major club in Italian history. I Rossoblu were a founding member of Serie A and was a major title competitor pre-Second World War. They've won multiple trophies but spent the past few decades with financial difficulties and going between the top two divisions. The past ten years have been a model of consistency with finishes in the bottom half but lacked that competition for Europe.
This year however has seen a confluence of events that led to their first chance of Europe in decades. Thiago Motta showed his Italian managerial acumen by keeping Spezia up and was rewarded with the Bologna position. He's done well this year molding his diverse side. Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee is one of the hottest names in the summer transfer market and the roster is full of enviable talent. This combined with Roma and Napoli's underperformance opened up a spot in the top four that Bologna has seized.
The question is can do replicate what another club they're battling did. Atalanta has built an incredible youth system and in 2016 hired Gian Piero Gaspirini. Since then Atalanta has built every year and, while it does not always qualify for the Champions League, it certainly contends above what a club with its resources usually does in Italy. Consistently competing for Europe in Serie A is hard when you're not a Milan club, Juve, or Roma (as Sassuolo can attest) but the key is continued reinvestment, productive young players, and a keen eye for underrespected international talent. Time with tell if Bologna can do this, but first they need to actually finish fourth.