Bologna took a big step towards Champions League qualification on Saturday with a 2-0 win at Napoli, whose miserable season as Serie A champions is drawing to a close.
Early headers from Dan Ndoye and Stefan Posch were enough for Thiago Motta’s Bologna to move up to third place above Juventus and seven points ahead of sixth-placed Roma, with a top-five finish enough for a place in Europe’s main club competition.
Roma face fifth-placed Atalanta – who have a game in hand – on Sunday night, with the pair level on 60 points, and anything other than a win for the capital club will guarantee Bologna a place in the Champions League.
Bologna played a match in the old European Cup in 1964, the same year they won the last of their seven league titles, but have never played in the modern Champions League.
“More than the Champions League, I’m happy with the squad that once again performed very well against a good team,” Motta told DAZN.
“I’m putting all my energy into enjoying the moment because the boys were great.”
The only negative note on a great night for Bologna was playmaker Joshua Zirkzee limping in tears with what appeared to be a thigh injury.
Dutchman Zirkzee, who is yet to win a cap for his country with Euro 2024 approaching, was consoled by his teammates on the bench in Bologna.
Napoli were booed at half-time and at the final whistle by angry fans who saw their team fall from winning the Scudetto last season to eighth place this season.
The hosts had a chance to get back into the game when Victor Osimhen won a soft penalty in the 20th minute, but Federico Ravaglia deflected a poor penalty from Matteo Politano.
There was further fan discontent following AC Milan’s 5-1 defeat of Cagliari – who are three points above the relegation zone – in the penultimate home game of the season.
Fans at San Siro continued the silent protest they began in last weekend’s home draw with Genoa, with only small shouts coming from groups of fans on the ground after Tijjani Reijnders scored Milan’s third goal in the 74th minute.
Christian Pulisic’s first Serie A double, Reijnders’ goal and further goals from Ismael Bennacer and Rafael Leão resulted in a heavy victory that broke a six-game winless run in all competitions for second-placed Milan, who also reached to the quarter-finals of the Europa League this season.
But fans are unhappy with the 18 points that separate Milan from champions and local rivals Inter Milan, who secured their 20th league title by winning the local derby last month.
That, and being kicked out of the Europa League by fellow Italians Roma, has angered fans and means that Stefano Pioli, the man who led Milan to the 2022 Serie A title, will be sacked at the end of the season after almost five years in charge. command. .
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