Bologna

Three key men for Bologna

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Three key men for Bologna
Three key men for Bologna
Three key men for Bologna

Upon returning to Serie A after a one-year absence, Bologna have strengthened their squad with the arrival of several players boasting a wealth of experience in Italy’s top-flight.

In addition to the signings of wise heads Antonio Mirante (from Parma), Luca Rossettini (Cagliari), Matteo Brighi (Sassuolo), Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) and Franco Brienza (Cesena), Delio Rossi has also recruited exciting young players such as left-back Ibrahima Mbaye (Inter) and midfielder Godfred Donsah (Cagliari), while the likes of Mattia Destro (Roma) and Saphir Taider (in his second spell at the club, on loan from Inter) will be motivated to fulfil the promise of their undisputed talents during a season in which the Rossoblu will look first and foremost to consolidate their position in the top tier.

Juventus.com focuses on three men crucial to achieving this objective.

Luca Rossettini, 30, Defender

Luca Rossettini was made Bologna captain as soon as he arrived at the club this summer and the defender brings valuable Serie A experience to the newly-promoted side after spending a total of eight years in the top-flight with Siena and latterly Cagliari.

Rossettini

The 30-year-old has played every minute of the Rossoblu’s season so far and, despite forming part of a defence that has leaked nine goals in their opening six games, he has been the rearguard’s standout performer, having made more blocks (29) and played more passes (236) than any other team-mate.

Unlikely to have gone unnoticed by his new manager Delio Rossi are his statistics from his last year with Cagliari at the other end of the pitch, where his three goals and two assists represented a career-best campaign in the final third.

Two of those strikes were scored against the Bianconeri, the first of which was a mere consolation in a 3-1 defeat, the second salvaging a point at Juventus Stadium in the 85th minute, although Massimiliano Allegri’s men had already sealed the Scudetto by then.

Nonetheless, Rossettini will be hoping for more success this time around in the same colours but different outfit of Bologna.

Anthony Mounier, 28, Winger

Anthony Mounier has made a positive start to his Serie A career with Bologna, scoring two of his new side’s three goals so far this term.

The Frenchman arrived from Montpellier after the most prolific campaign of his career to date, finding the net nine times, while providing eight assists.

The 28-year-old started his career at Olympique Lyon, where he rose through the ranks to make his Ligue 1 debut in 2008 and quickly grew in importance the following season, making four appearances in the Champions League.

Mounier

Mounier gained further experience in Europe’s premier club competition for Montpellier, upon joining the former French champions the summer straight after they were crowned league winners in 2012.

In between these two spells the left winger, who has been deployed by Delio Rossi as a wide forward, played for three years at Nice, with whom he enjoyed the best goals-to-game ratio of his career, notching 17 in 107 fixtures.

The former France Under 21 international likes to exploit his pace down the flanks and has attempted more dribbles than any of his team-mates with 23, the same number as Juventus’ Roberto Pereyra.

Mattia Destro, 24, Forward

Yet another summer signing, Mattia Destro was bought on the back of an impressive goalscoring record at former club Roma.

The 24-year-old found the target almost every two games in three seasons with the Giallorossi (29 strikes in 68 appearances) and fans of the Rossoblu will be hoping the striker can rediscover his touch in front of goal at the Stadio Dall’Ara.

Destro is a product of Inter’s youth academy, where he spent five years before moving to Genoa and he made his Serie A debut for the Liguria-based outfit in 2010.

It would be in the black and white of Siena, however, where he would make his name, netting 12 times in 2011/12 for a team struggling with and ultimately suffering relegation to the second division, but the centre-forward’s undisputed finishing ability quickly earned him a move to Roma that summer, as well as a maiden cap for the Azzurri, who he has represented on eight occasions.

Destro

Destro spent the second-half of last season on loan at Milan, where he notched three goals and, while he is yet to find the target for the Rossoblu this term, he remains central to Bologna’s attacking moves, his robust physique regularly troubling opposition defenders, against whom he has won 75 per cent of tackles so far in 2015/16.

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