Coppa Italia | Bologna 4-0 Monza: Orsolini injury mars victory | OneFootball

Bologna will face either Atalanta or Cesena in the Coppa Italia quarter-final after thrashing sorry Monza 4-0, but lost Riccardo Orsolini to injury.

The Rossoblu are revitalising their campaign after a 3-0 win over Venezia at the weekend, but it keeps getting worse for Alessandro Nesta’s side, who travelled to the Stadio Dall’Ara without Daniel Maldini, Roberto Gagliardini, Matteo Pessina and Alessio Cragno.

Santiago Castro forced a tricky save out of Semuel Pizzignacco in the opening three minutes, then Samuel Iling-Junior fired over the bar, but they opened the scoring when Castro laid it off for a Pobega screamer outside the box that arrowed into the top corner.

BOLOGNA, ITALY – DECEMBER 03: Santiago Castro of Bologna celebrates with teammate Benjamin Dominguez after scoring his team’s fourth goal during the Coppa Italia match between Bologna FC and AC Monza at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on December 03, 2024 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

There was controversy on 35 minutes when Monza had penalty appeals from a corner as Emil Holm and Emanuele Valoti went for the same ball, but the referee waved play on and Bologna immediately sprinted up the other end to double their lead with Orsolini’s dinked finish.

VAR had a look at the incident and decided not to over-rule the official, but it was still bad news for Bologna because Orsolini pulled a muscle during that move and immediately limped off. This is not the development coach Vincenzo Italiano wanted just days before a Serie A clash against Juventus.

Straight after the restart, Lewis Ferguson’s scorcher was fingertipped over the bar and Bologna got their third when Iling-Junior whipped in a low cross from the left that only grazed the boot of Castro for Benjamin Dominguez to tap in at the back post.

Castro added a goal to his fine performance, as Dominguez won it back in midfield and threaded through for the striker, who took a touch to go inside Armando Izzo and drill into the far bottom corner.

Iling-Junior again went close in the final minutes, his powerful rising angled drive fingertipped onto the near post by Pizzignacco.

Bologna 4-0 Monza

Pobega 32 (B), Orsolini 35 (B), Dominguez 63 (B), Castro 77 (B)