Bologna stormed into the Coppa Italia quarter-finals with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Monza at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara. A stellar display from Castro, who registered three assists and a goal, powered the Rossoblù past a hapless Monza side, leaving Alessandro Nesta’s men reeling and their manager under pressure. Bologna now awaits the winner of Atalanta vs. Cesena in the next round.
Bologna wasted no time asserting their dominance, taking the lead in the 32nd minute through Tommaso Pobega. The midfielder struck a sensational effort from the edge of the box after a pinpoint layoff from Castro. Just three minutes later, Riccardo Orsolini doubled the advantage, racing onto another sublime pass from Castro to slot calmly past Michele Di Gregorio.
However, the joy was short-lived for Orsolini, who pulled up moments later with a suspected thigh strain and had to be replaced by Nicolás Domínguez. Despite the setback, Bologna maintained their grip on the game, heading into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead.
Monza made changes at half-time, introducing Dany Mota in a bid to spark a comeback, but the visitors struggled to create meaningful chances against Bologna’s organized defence. Meanwhile, Castro continued his masterclass, providing a flicked header for Domínguez to nod home Bologna’s third goal in the 63rd minute.
The Argentine capped off a perfect night with a goal of his own in the 76th minute, firing into the bottom corner after a loose ball in the box fell kindly to him. His performance underlined why he is quickly becoming a key player for coach Vincenzo Italiano.
For Monza, the defeat was another blow in what has been a challenging season. Alessandro Nesta’s side failed to threaten Bologna’s goal for most of the match, with their best chance coming late on when Samuel Iling-Junior hit the post.
With the Coppa Italia campaign over, Monza must now focus on their league form, as relegation concerns continue to mount. Bologna’s impressive form under Italiano has the fans dreaming of a deep cup run. They will face either Atalanta or Cesena in the quarter-finals, with hopes high after a display that showcased both attacking brilliance and defensive solidity.
