Bologna, Casale relaunched: now a certainty again

Casale has rediscovered his form under Palladino, scoring in Bologna's win at Cagliari and earning man-of-the-match after being dropped for tactical reasons last month.

Nicolò Casale has undergone a dramatic turnaround at Bologna. After being left out of the squad against Sassuolo for tactical reasons, the defender has become a key player under manager Palladino's three-at-the-back system. He scored the decisive goal in Saturday's victory at Cagliari and was named man of the match, earning a standing ovation from the travelling Bologna supporters.

Casale's resurgence began when Palladino switched to a three-centre-back formation during the international break, with the defender becoming Palladino's only available central option. Upon the squad's return, Casale earned the starting role and has not relinquished it. Playing alongside Darmian and Theate, he has provided stability to Bologna's defence, which recorded its first clean sheet of the season against Cagliari.

The 26-year-old also extended his contract through 2029 during the break, restructuring his wages. After a summer in which he was expected to leave due to lack of concrete offers, Casale now appears set to become a cornerstone of Palladino's new project at the club.