Saputo, Bologna and the promised Europe of 2015

In an interview given in July 2015, not long after the beginning of his connection with the team and the city, Bologna president Joey Saputo declared: «What can I offer to the square? A gradual and constant growth for at least ten years.
At the end of the journey, Bologna will be able to be equal to the big teams, still able to fight for the Europa League, the Champions League and the scudetto." Probably many at the time thought it was an exaggerated vision for a club certainly rich in history like Bologna, but one that has been back for several years without any sharp details.
Instead, almost 10 years later, Thiago Motta's team is fully fighting for a place in the next Champions League.
Not just Europe therefore, but the most noble one, of big names, big stadiums and great players.
In 10 years almost 300 million euros have been invested for the club.
Looking at the estimated fortune of Saputo and his family according to Forbes, in the order of 5 billion dollars, one might have expected a very aggressive strategy in the transfer market and investments , looking for a vigorous immediate improvement to be possibly consolidated over time.
The choice of Saputo and the Bologna management, however, was different and followed the lines of gradualness.
A word that does not mean being devoid of ambition, but evaluating achievable objectives on the basis of what one's possibilities are at the moment.
The numbers show how over the years Saputo has never backed down from the economic needs of a Bologna which in 2014, when it was taken over by the Italian Canadian entrepreneur, was not experiencing a good economic situation.
By next June, Saputo's overall investment in Bologna will reach 290 million euros and in the last period the technical area, with the references of the former striker Di Vaio and the former Atalanta manager Sartori among others , managed to find valuable players at a low price who, valorised in Emilia, were then resold at much higher prices on the market.
Outside of these considerations there is what can be considered the best anomaly of the technical system created by the management and coach Thiago Motta.
Zirkzee is one of those players who steal the eye and capture attention, a name that already today fills the mouths and chatter of fans, enthusiasts, commentators and professionals.
It goes without saying that today its value is immensely greater than what it was purchased for.
Results and infrastructure, Saputo's vision for Bologna The championship to date says that next season Bologna should divide their efforts and commitments between Serie A, Italian Cup and Champions League.
A result that would completely overflow the enthusiasm of the rossoblu people who already this season, but not only, have demonstrated their ability to accompany the team, coach and club with sincere and warm support.
The result of the Champions League would obviously be historic for Saputo, Bologna and the city itself and on an economic level it would give a different dimension and an unprecedented horizon to the company's strategies.
The consolidation of Bologna as a team that fights to play in European cups every year would probably be a little closer, net of what will be the future of many names in Bologna today, above all Thiago Motta and Zirkzee.
However, Saputo has already started working on other fronts in recent years to make Bologna's situation even more solid and stable.
Among the first actions is the purchase of the sports center and its profound overhaul, the next dream is the renovation of the glorious Dall'Ara.
Rich in history, at the time of its construction it can be compared to an Emirates Stadium among many provincial stadiums, but today it needs a refresh that does not forget what it was, but does not leave everything stuck in another era.
Here too the investment is important, with Saputo ready not to hold back: the latest indications speak of a conclusion of the services conference in a few months, with work starting in summer 2025 and the inauguration of Dall'Ara 2.0 in 2027-28 season.
Total investment of 170 million euros.
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