Genoa, Vogliacco: “Special match in Bologna, I felt Miha next to me and he gave me strength”

Genoa – It wasn't and couldn't be a game like the others for Alessandro Vogliacco. In the past he had often talked about it with Sinisa Mihajlovic, the father of his wife Virginia: «When I get to Serie A I will challenge your Bologna». The Genoa centre-back will not be able to play this match but on Friday evening, in the very stadium where Mihajlovic was the protagonist on the bench, Vogliacco played his best match since playing in the top flight. «It was a special match – says Vogliacco – it often happened to me during the match to turn towards his bench: I seemed to see him and feel him as if he were there».

Mihajlovic was a very important figure for Vogliacco, a point of reference in football and in life: it is no coincidence that the message that the rossoblù dedicated to Sinisa on the day of his death was one of the most touching. At the beginning of last season, Mihajlovic had already agreed with president Alberto Zangrillo to go to Pegli to attend a Genoa training session but then the worsening of his health conditions forced everyone to postpone that appointment.

In Bologna, however, Vogliacco felt Mihajlovic still close to him. «It could have been the match in which we would have finally played against – says the 25-year-old defender – he still managed to give me strength even without being there physically. I felt it close to me and it was nice: I don't know if it was my best match in Serie A but it was certainly the most important.” And as happened until Sinisa's death on 16 December 2022, even after the draw with Bologna the Genoa defender felt the desire to pick up the phone to “call him at the end of the match” and talk about slips, closures and hits head.

It hasn't been a simple season for Vogliacco so far. The centre-back, after having experienced Genoa's run in Serie A as a protagonist, imagined a slightly different start to the championship, his first in the top flight. On the eve of the first match against Fiorentina, the defender who grew up in the Juventus youth sector injured his thigh and was forced to miss quite a few matches. «The first months were different from what I expected – he explains – the injury penalized me but now I'm fine, I want to be a protagonist to help the team».

The debut in Serie A then came in the match in Bergamo when Alberto Gilardino sent him onto the pitch in the final minutes in the unusual role of centre-forward with the aim of at least getting a draw. Then another spot appearance with Salernitana, the matches with Frosinone and Empoli played in full, other parts of the match with Juve and Sassuolo until the eve of the match with Bologna when, perhaps because it was written in destiny, two more defenders, Bani and De Winter were blocked by the flu so it was his turn to take to the field. In total in Serie A there are 7 appearances for 274 minutes played. «I suffered being out because I want to give my contribution – he continues – my teammates did well and the coach then makes the choices for the good of the team but, when needed, I'm ready».

Gilardino is a coach who has been very important up to now for Vogliacco's career and after Bologna Gila himself wanted to underline the performance of the Apulian defender. «We have a wonderful relationship – says Vogliacco speaking of the rossoblù coach – there is mutual trust and respect, especially on a human level: together we won a championship last year and we know that there is loyalty on both sides».

In Serie B, Vogliacco's season had a turning point when, on the night of 26 December 2022, Gilardino sent him onto the field away against Bari, another important place for the defender born and raised not far from San Nicola. Now, after Bologna, Vogliacco will try to turn the corner once again by taking advantage of the momentum of the excellent performance played in another symbolic stadium for the defender, the one where Mihajlovic left an indelible mark.