With the new season nearly upon us, we cast an eye over not-so-little Bologna. With Champions League football just a qualifying round away, the board have taken the rather bold step of expanding the stadium. That’ll impede the manager’s spending, much to manager Dave Black’s chagrin, but if it means less signings like Micky Quinn then, well, maybe that’s no bad thing. Stoichkov has joined the party, all set for a Romario reunion as the Barca boys are back together, but it’s another ageing star for Black to contend with. When will they start looking to the future?

Thanks for that Jimbo. Good morning and here we are back with Bologna, looking to improve the squad enough for us to be able to compete with the very best. Tracking down Juve is one thing which might take a while, whereas the glut of big clubs gunning for us is very much a threat here and now. Here’s a reminder of how we got ourselves in with Europe’s elite:

The squad is quite small but I don’t mind that. Especially as some of the older lads are on decent wages. We do need a proper number 9, despite the Micker’s best efforts.

Getting in the Champions League proper will hopefully grow our potential and then we can sign some top players under 30. Partizan Tirana is the perfect draw, really.

Time for the first leg then and even with Baggio and Emmers out injured, it’s no trouble for the mighty Bologna. That old Barcelona duo hit the ground running.

Oh come on. Of all the teams we could have drawn..

Italian Charity Shield is next up and our first tussle with Juventus. They’re still impossible to break down and obviously we lose. There’s no shame, but we need to find a way.

The second leg is a cakewalk, we rack up 9 on aggregate and take our place in the group stages with minimal fuss.

This is ridiculous. I feel like drawing a team from your own country happens far too often and with it being Juventus we’re basically already playing for second. Dortmund and PSV complete a thoroughly miserable draw.

Random transfer of the weeeeeek.

You’ve got to hold and give but do it at the right time. England must be desperate.

The Italian Cup tie away at Milan couldn’t go any better. Stoitchy has made a great start to life in a Bologna shirt, I suppose it is mostly the same as a Barcelona shirt, and we win in the San Siro. These boys.

When I said we needed a new number 9, I wasn’t joking. First game of the season and 21 shots brings one solitary goal, allowing Napoli to pinch a draw with their only shot on target.

Not the best preparation for a trip to Eindhoven then but a two minute double salvo is always welcome. It ends 3-1 and gets our European dream off to a fantastic start.

A hard fought win over Vicenza means the league season is up and running too.

This was annoying. I mean the Micker was recalled for squad rotation and he scored twice in the same minute. Just let that sink in, the Micker scored a goal, Salernitana kicked off, Micker scored again and less than 60 seconds transpired. It finishes 4-4 though, which is less good.

Another lead is blown this time in the San Siro. I would have accepted a point pre-game but it’s never good to let a two goal lead slip.

Juventus in the Champions League and…a very bad night. We just can’t get near them.

A gutsy win from behind sees off Lazio. Marchegiani was awesome as usual but Purk and Baggio get it done for us.

Another poor result comes at Lecce. Purk is really Purrrrring at the moment but all of these dropped points are a disaster.

Newly promoted Ravenna are put to the sword. A rare ruthless afternoon.

Should I….? He’s out of contract in 8 months so his value is dropping and we know he likes a goal. Let’s take a chance.

£5.5m is ok. It’s another non-EU player to try and juggle but I think Romario’s race is run.

Yorke can’t play in the Champions League unless we get through and his new team mates make that very much a possibility. A tremendous showing in Dortmund sees James, Baggio and Shalimov on the scoresheet and that gives us every chance of second place.

I assume we’ll lose in Turin so it becomes a question of whether 12 points will be enough to progress.

Purk’s good form continues with a brace against Brescia. Yorke made his debut but missed a bunch of chances. He’ll adapt, I’m sure.

All of that leaves us third after 8 games. We’re still in the Italian Cup and crucially, in with a chance in the Champions League.

Another week in beautiful Italy is done. We’ll get the crucial middle bit of the season done next week so I hope to see you back here for more. Thanks for reading!