Former captain: Coppa Italia disrupted Bologna’s expectations, Theate can reinforce the defense

Former Bologna captain Marcello Castellini spoke to Corriere della Sera about Bologna’s summer transfer market and the start of the season under De Tomas.

The departures of the “four key players” and missing out on European competitions

Speaking about Jonathan Rowe leaving on the final day of the transfer window, Castellini said: “Rowe’s departure on the final day of the transfer window was probably something nobody expected, but I think that without European competitions, the club was also more motivated to increase capital gains through player sales.” Riding on the momentum of winning the Coppa Italia, the former defender added: “Winning the Coppa Italia may have indeed disrupted outside expectations somewhat. When you win an important trophy, you feel that something equally significant will happen the following year, but that is not something to be taken for granted.”

The defense and Theate’s arrival

Asked whether the defense had been weakened after Lucumi’s departure, Castellini expressed confidence in Theate’s arrival: “If you had asked me this question before Theate joined, I would have said yes, because at that time I felt the team had clear difficulties at the back. Lucumi certainly left a big gap, but this Belgian player is a current international, an experienced defender, and he is already familiar with the environment here. For me, he is a good solution and can try to fill that gap.”

Trust in Sartori and the early signs under De Tomas

Speaking about sporting director Giovanni Sartori, Castellini gave him high praise: “Sartori is very good at selecting players who perhaps had a quiet previous season and did not perform at their own level, then bringing them back to life. Mambala could be one of those players.” Finally, discussing the start of the season, the former Bologna player pointed out the early progress under De Tomas: “Apart from the first half against Lazio, when we struggled a lot, I saw a Bologna side where De Tomas has already given the team some initial certainty. It is still too early to judge which direction the season will go.”