BOLOGNA, Italy – The Montreal Impact will play its first game of its post-season training tour in Italy Thursday against Bologna FC, at 6:30pm local time (12:30pm ET), at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, in Bologna.
Due to FIFA regulations (Europa games involving Italian clubs will be played at the same time), the friendly between the Impact and Bologna FC cannot be streamed and broadcast. Supporters can follow the latest updates of the game on the club's twitter account.
This will mark the return of Impact Designated Player Marco Di Vaio to Bologna, where he scored 65 goals in 143 matches over four seasons with this club, from 2008 to 2012.
A good test for the players
“I’m really happy to be back in Bologna and to see my former teammates as well as the president,” said Di Vaio. “I spent four great years here. I never thought I would be coming back so quickly. It will be an important game for the team and for the players.”
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Impact youngsters want to learn
The Impact is expected to play a familiar 4-2-3-1 system, with a few tweaks to the lineup, in which, interim head coach in Italy Mauro Biello will make his debut.
“We want to continue our good work,” said Biello. “It will be a great experience for the team, especially the players that have never been in Europe. We will need to work hard on the plays we must improve. It will be a good test for our players.”
Defender Dennis Iapichino will join Hassoun Camara, Matteo Ferrari and Alessandro Nesta on the backline, while Sinisa Ubiparipovic should play the supporting role to Marco Di Vaio.
The Impact is expected to dress all 25 players for the friendly.
Starting lineup vs Bologna FC: GK – Troy Perkins; D – Hassoun Camara, Alessandro Nesta, Matteo Ferrari, Dennis Iapichino; M – Patrice Bernier, Collen Warner, Davy Arnaud, Sanna Nyassi, Sinisa Ubiparipovic; F – Marco Di Vaio
About Bologna FC
The club, established in 1909, won the Italian championship seven times in addition to finishing the runner up on another seven occasions. This season, Bologna is in 18th place in Serie A with a 2-7-2 record.
Bologna is coming off a 1-1 tie last weekend with Udinese. Italian national teamer Alessandro Diamanti scored the lone goal for the rossoblu, his third of the season to go along with his four assists in nine games played.
Bologna also counts amongst its ranks former Italian national team member Alberto Gilardino, who has seen resurgence this season in Italian first division, scoring five goals in 10 appearances.
Next game
The Montreal Impact will face off against ACF Fiorentina on November 15 at 7pm (local time) at Stadio Artemio Franchi. The team will also take part in a weekly training schedule, as well as a third matchup versus Fiorentina’s primavera (reserve) team.
