Italiano angry at Lucumi error amid Sunderland speculation

Vincenzo Italiano won’t deny that Jhon Lucumi’s decisive error in Bologna’s defeat to Roma might’ve been affected by his desire to join Sunderland. ‘It’s sheer madness to keep the transfer market open.’

The Rossoblu started their Serie A campaign this evening at the Stadio Olimpico and were beaten 1-0 because Lucumi intercepted a pass, only to immediately knock it back into the path of Wesley Franca.

“We couldn’t find a way through for the first 25 minutes, then we managed to pass it better and find those channels, but during our best period of the game, we conceded the goal,” Italiano told Sky Sport Italia.

“I saw some positive things this evening, we created some good situations, if we can be a little calmer and have more quality on the ball, we can have our say this season.”

Lucumi’s error was decisive for the Wesley Franca goal and it is perhaps not a coincidence that the defender is also pushing for a move to Sunderland, so was not entirely focused on the task at hand.

When he was pressed on this issue, Italiano was visibly irritated at the situation Bologna are having to experience.

“I think it’s sheer madness that the transfer market is open when Serie A matches are already on. There are players who in the morning of games are on the phone to their agents trying to leave, others who don’t want to come to training, it’s not possible. The market should be closed before the competitive matches begin.

“There are months and months for clubs to get teams sorted out and it ought to be done by now. Instead teams will lose points because they have players who are not concentrated.”

Italiano was also unlucky, as they lost Ciro Immobile to a suspected quadricep strain just 30 minutes into the match, then Nicoló Casale also seemed to sustain a muscular injury on the stroke of half-time.

“It’s so disappointing, because Immobile has incredible hunger and enthusiasm,” added Italiano.

“He seemed a little tense at the start, perhaps because he was back in a stadium where he made history and became a great player. I joked with him later that if I had been able to take him off after six minutes, he wouldn’t have got hurt…

“Fortunately, I don’t think it’s that serious, so I hope he will be back relatively soon. He was in excellent shape, so I really don’t understand how he managed to get injured.

“Casale felt a twinge and we’ll see what happened there. These things happen, we have to take them into account.”