Former Bologna captain Marcello Castellini was interviewed by Corriere della Sera, discussing Bologna's summer transfer market and the start of the season under De Rossi.

Departure of Four Key Players and Failure to Qualify for European Competitions

Regarding Jonathan Rowe's departure on the final day of the transfer window, Castellini said: "No one might have expected Rowe to leave on the last day of the transfer window, but I think because there were no European competitions, the club was more motivated to increase capital gains through player sales." Building on the back of the Coppa Italia victory, the former defender added: "Winning the Coppa Italia may have indeed disrupted external expectations. When you win an important trophy, you might feel that something equally significant will happen the following year, but that's not guaranteed."

Defense and the Arrival of Theate

When asked whether the defense was weakened after Lucumi's departure, Castellini expressed reassurance about Theate's arrival: "If this question had been asked before Theate joined, I would have said yes, because at that time I felt the team's defense clearly had difficulties. Lucumi did leave a big void, but this Belgian player is a current international and an experienced defender, and he is already familiar with the environment here. To me, he is a good solution and can help fill this void."

Trust in Sartori and De Rossi's Initial Signals

Speaking about Sporting Director Giovanni Sartori, Castellini expressed high praise: "Sartori is very good at picking players who may have had a somewhat lackluster season the previous year, whose performance didn't meet their own standards, and then revitalizing them. Mbuemo can be one such player." Finally, discussing the start of the season, the former Bologna player highlighted the initial improvements under De Rossi: "Apart from the first half against Lazio, when we played very poorly, I have seen a Bologna where De Rossi has already given the team some initial stability. It's still too early to judge which direction the season will take."

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