Di Vaio: Bernardeschi Can Lead Bologna to Roma Victory in Europa League

Bologna’s sporting director, Marco Di Vaio, expressed admiration for his team's "remarkable journey" in the Europa League as they gear up for a crucial second leg encounter against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

Di Vaio further highlighted veteran forward Federico Bernardeschi, suggesting he could be a key inspirational figure for his younger colleagues in what is anticipated to be a thrilling match.

The match is scheduled to commence at the Stadio Olimpico at 20:00 GMT (21:00 CET).

Di Vaio: Bernardeschi Can Inspire Bologna

Commenting on the Italian winger Bernardeschi, Di Vaio stated (as quoted by TuttoMercatoWeb):

“Bernardeschi possesses valuable experience from his time with Juventus in high-stakes matches, where he consistently delivered strong performances. This background enables him to motivate his teammates during critical phases of the game. Players like him and Freuler, who have competed at this level, are crucial in guiding younger squad members to manage the intense pressure. Roma, undeniably, represent a formidable opponent.”

With the first leg concluding in a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Dall’Ara, the highly coveted spot in the Europa League quarter-finals will be determined tonight.

The victorious team from this fixture will advance to face either Aston Villa or Lille.

The Stadio Olimpico holds a special significance for Bologna, as it was the venue where they triumphed over Milan last season to claim the Coppa Italia. This victory marked the club’s first major trophy in 51 years and secured their qualification for the Europa League.

Reflecting on that previous success, Di Vaio remarked, "We understand this is an entirely different contest, but we cherish those wonderful memories and are hopeful of recreating a similar feeling tonight."

Bologna enters the match following a morale-boosting 1-0 away win against local rivals Sassuolo in Serie A. However, that game saw goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski sustain an injury, meaning Federico Ravaglia will deputize in goal tonight.