Vincenzo Italiano is filled with reward for Santiago Castro after . ‘I noticed a mature efficiency this night.’
The Rossoblu had a great begin within the freezing temperatures of Bergen, as Santiago Castro’s angled drive shocked the goalkeeper to provide them the lead after 9 minutes.
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There have been extra probabilities to bolster the scoreline with Riccardo Orsolini and Thijs Dallinga forcing saves, although Lukasz Skorupski additionally wanted a troublesome double save on the one actual Brann probability.
Italiano feels Bologna turned a nook
“We needed to adapt to the situations, as a result of we knew it could be troublesome, and thankfully we did examine the pitch even at midnight final evening,”
The floodlights had been switched off when the staff arrived from Italy on Wednesday for his or her media duties.
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“Clearly, we couldn’t do far more than this, as we didn’t need to run pointless dangers. We managed to deliver dwelling the victory, nevertheless it solely means we now have a one-goal benefit.
“Now we hope to do higher on the Dall’Ara, as a result of it looks like each time we play at dwelling, there may be some form of curse on us.”
It places Bologna in a powerful place going into the second leg of this play-off, which shall be on the Stadio Dall’Ara on Thursday February 26.
TURIN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 15: Bologna FC 1909 head coach Vincenzo Italiano seems on through the Serie A match between Torino FC and Bologna FC 1909 at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on February 15, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photograph by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Photographs)
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The Rossoblu had struggled so badly firstly of 2026, profitable simply two out of 14 aggressive video games, however have now managed back-to-back victories after the 2-1 away to Torino in Serie A.
“We acquired a little bit of enthusiasm with these two victories, as a result of it’s powerful to work when you might have one defeat after one other, enjoying each three days, it might injury the self-belief you constructed up over a 12 months and a half,” continued Italiano.
“I noticed a mature efficiency as we speak, and hope that in future it might grow to be a behavior, beginning with the appropriate angle and holding concentrated.
“We aren’t conceding as a lot now in contrast to some weeks in the past, and that’s making the distinction. We’ve acquired to all the time be switched on.”
BOLOGNA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 06: Vincenzo Italiano head coach of Bologna FC through the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Part MD4 match between Bologna FC 1909 and SK Brann at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on November 06, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Photograph by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Photographs)
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Castro has actually discovered his kind too, scoring in three consecutive video games in all competitors, and he ran over tonight to have a good time together with his coach.
“Santi has one thing so vital for this sport, which is the starvation he reveals every single day, each coaching session, each minute on the sector. Even on the staff bus, he’s the one speaking about soccer,” defined Italiano.
“It’s a pleasure to work with such younger gamers who’re so hungry, so keen to assist their teammates. I’m very comfortable that he’s now scoring usually too.
“He actually may be very mature for his age, and a staff participant, who as a centre-forward makes monumental sacrifices for the squad together with his work off the ball. I all the time inform him, that work will repay, don’t fear.”
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When these groups met again in November within the league part, it ended 0-0, with Bologna creating much more probabilities regardless of being all the way down to 10 males for over an hour.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 27: Vincenzo Italiano head coach of Bologna FC through the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Part MD5 match between Bologna FC 1909 and FC Salzburg at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on November 27, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Photograph by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Photographs)
It was certainly one of a number of matches that left them with regrets, as they narrowly missed out on direct qualification for the Europa League Spherical of 16.
“We performed a tricky sport in opposition to Torino final week, as a result of we knew that we couldn’t afford one other mistake,” famous Italiano.
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“The lads confirmed focus, solidity and spirit of sacrifice, that’s all I ask for from now to the tip of the season. We paid a heavy value at occasions for errors, and misplaced numerous floor within the Serie A desk, however we will change that development, particularly on dwelling turf.”