Raffaele Palladino has invited Formula 1 world champion Kimi Antonelli to visit Bologna, while cautioning his squad to remain level-headed following three consecutive wins ahead of Saturday’s match against Parma.
With quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb, the Bologna coach began his pre-match press conference by congratulating the Mercedes driver, a lifelong supporter of Rossoblù, on becoming the youngest champion in F1 history.
“I wanted to open the press conference by congratulating Kimi Antonelli, because it’s only right. He’s one of Bologna’s excellences, and we’re all happy,” Palladino expressed. “I’d love for him to come and visit us at the training ground and the stadium. It’s right to congratulate a great champion.”
Bologna has significantly improved their season since Palladino succeeded Domenico Tedesco in September. Victories against Cagliari, Milan (4-2), and Monza have brought the team to 14 points. However, the coach emphasized the importance of not letting success go to their heads.
“A month ago we weren’t bad, and today we haven’t become phenomenal. We have to be balanced in our judgments,” he remarked. “We’re growing, and I have good feelings for the future. But defeats and difficult moments will come, and we’ll need to be balanced then too.”
Palladino Returns to Former Club Parma
This Saturday’s match at Tardini, starting at 18:00 CET [17:00 GMT], marks a meaningful return for Palladino, who scored Parma’s 1,000th Serie A goal and was part of the squad during the club’s bankruptcy in 2015.
“It was a beautiful and formative experience. We got as far as Europe, then unfortunately there was the bankruptcy, a bad page in Italian football,” he reflected. “We felt almost abandoned by everyone, and it was sad to see people not getting paid.”
Palladino also noted that Parma, fresh from a 3-0 victory over Atalanta, will pose a significant challenge. “They’ve found balance and solidity. The 3-0 in Bergamo says a lot. I expect a test of maturity.”
Artem Dovbyk, Roberto Piccoli, and Mikkel Odgaard are available for selection, while Jay Enem is close to making his return. Lorenzo De Silvestri and Emil Holm remain sidelined.
When asked about the upcoming transfer window, Palladino stated, “It’s early for the transfer market, but I believe in this group. When the time comes, I’ll speak to the club, as is right. I came here to build a long-term project.”
