Pagliuca embraces Bologna and celebrates with friends.

Gazzetta dello Sport. 23/06/1999

"I return to my city to give 3-4 years of great play, but I have some regrets about leaving Inter." The goalkeeper, presently on vacation in Spain, is going out with his friends for paella. "I am happy, the last few months have been really ugly. I have never before found myself in May without knowing my future. Nevertheless, a bit of Inter will always remain in my heart, especially the year with Simoni. But this Bologna could do great things."

BOLOGNA - Yesterday Bologna closed a deal worth 25 billion lira, which gives the club Ventola, Ze Elias, and Pagliuca. Gianluca Pagliuca is now the property of Bologna, and he is transferred at practically no cost, whereas for the two others it is a "joint ownership" deal, with Inter retaining the right to recall them. "As I welcome these players, I would like to thank my friend Massimo Moratti for being forthcoming in the negotiations" commented president Giuseppe Gazzoni. "I hope that this financial strain will be appreciated by the fans, and that it will put an end to the useless, absurd, and hurtful polemics of recent times, which have even led to intolerable episodes of violence. Once again our management has proven to be equal to the task of maintaining Bologna at the highest competitive level. I hope that with these important reinforcements, as well as with the confirmations of our most valuable players, Bologna will be able to repeat the excellent results we obtained in the Championship and in Europe." Pagliuca, who is on vacation in Formentera, had been expecting the result of the transfer deal for several days. He received the news in the afternoon upon his return from an hour of running, via a voicemail message from Vincenzo Rispoli, his agent. "I am pleased," is his first comment. "Not being able to stay at Inter, Bologna, which means coming back home, was the only solution that could make me happy after the last few months, which have been really ugly. It had never happened to me during my 12 years as a professional soccer player that I had to find myself in May without knowing my future. It is a grim feeling. It has been compensated now, though, by the fact that I am able to go where I wanted to go most. I'll celebrate it tonight by inviting my friends for a paella. I am particularly happy that I am coming to Bologna while I am still young, and therefore able to give a lot to the team of my city. Three, four great years, before I leave."
Correspondent: -Your mother will be happy.
-Obviously, like all my other friends in Bologna. But I will have to stay away from her treats. Funny, during my years in Milano I always went to Bologna to see her when I had a day off. Now I'll go to Milano instead.
-There is some bitterness in your tone.
-It is true, I leave Inter with some regrets. You cannot just forget 5 years in the black-and-blue uniform. A bit of Inter will always stay in my heart. Above all, the happy moments in the year with Simoni, with the conquest of the UEFA Cup, the only thing I won in Milan.
-Had you expected more?
-Yes, at least a championship. With a 'scudetto' I could leave more serenely. Also because two years ago we had practically won it, and the way in which we lost it still haunts me. This, too, makes it difficult to forget Inter.
-Cheer up, at Bologna you will find good teammates: old comrades like Bia, Fontolan, Tarantino, and Paganin.
-That's true, but also two friends such as Signori and Marocchi, with whom I have played in the national team. And I'll also see Ventola again, along with that pain in the neck, Ze Elias...
-But you were the one who advised him to follow you to Bologna!
-That's true. Ze is a good friend, and when he asked me for advice, I did not hesitate to recommend Bologna to him, both because of the club as well as because of the city.
- With you, Ventola, Ze Elias along with the confirmation of Ingesson, Mangone and Signori, plus Wome and others, Gazzoni is putting together a great team.
-Take it easy. The great teams are Inter, Lazio, etc. But certainly a Bologna is being born which could aim at... God, I'm used to saying 'scudetto', but now I'll have to update that. Jokes aside, we can aim at Europe and at going far in the UEFA Cup. I even hope to win it again, to overcome the disappointment that Bologna has just suffered.
-You know how to do it.
-Yes, I have some experience in European competitions, and I'll place that at my team's disposal, along with my utmost commitment, as always. Because you can say that I have sometimes made mistakes, but you can never say that I did not give all that I had to give. I also hope that the outcome will be the same as during the last few years.
-Have you met Buso, the new coach?
-Not in person, but I know he has done very well with the youth team. I hope to meet him as soon as possible, already next week. Wednesday I will be in Bologna. I want to get to work in the gym in order to strengthen my knee after the last injury. I want to arrive at the team reunion in top form.
-And what about the ultras, with this rivalry between your Virtus and their Fortitudo? [translator's note: Basketball teams. Pagliuca is a fan of Virtus Bologna].
-Let's not talk about basketball. Put it this way: soccer will unite us.

Correspondent Luca Curino.
Translated by Julia Tarasova.
Edited by Bente Jorgensen.