Dallinga reveals Zirkzee verdict on Liverpool and Bologna’s ‘dream’ | OneFootball

New Bologna striker Thijs Dallinga remains ‘optimistic’ despite being still without goals this season and reveals what Joshua Zirkzee told the Rossoblu squad before a Champions League match against Liverpool.

Dallinga joined Bologna in a €15m deal from Ligue 1 side Toulouse FC last summer but is struggling to meet expectations. The Dutchman hasn’t yet scored a goal in 12 appearances across all competitions and saw the Argentinean Santiago Castro get the starting spot in attack in most games.

Dallinga’s compatriot Zirkzee also struggled in his first season at the Stadio Dall’Ara before netting 11 goals in 34 Serie A matches in 2023-24.

“I’ve heard that he also struggled in his first season here. We are entirely different, but perhaps we face some of the same problems,” Dallinga told Corriere dello Sport.

“This is football. You have no time to adapt. The club pays a lot of money to buy you, and people expect you to score goals, so they support you. This is why I want to do well with Bologna, and if I remain optimistic, I can repay the club.”

Zirkzee, now at Manchester United,  visited his former teammates last month before an away Champions League game at Liverpool, which the Reds won 2-0.

Dallinga reveals Zirkzee verdict on Liverpool and Bologna’s ‘dream’

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 10: Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United celebrates scoring his team’s third goal with Amad Diallo and Joshua Zirkzee during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Leicester City FC at Old Trafford on November 10, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

“Everyone wanted to talk to him, so it got late, and we didn’t have much time,” said Dallinga.

“We didn’t talk much about Bologna. He spoke mainly about Liverpool, which he had already faced, saying it would be a challenging game.”

Dallinga had a goal disallowed at Anfield in October but had scored at the Reds’ home with Toulouse in the previous campaign.

“It’s an iconic place full of history. It’s remarkable to play there,” said the 24-year-old.

“We lost a Europa League game there last season, but I scored a goal. It was nice to return. I felt extra emotions because I scored again, but unfortunately, it was disallowed.”

Bologna have just one point in the Champions League this season and have yet to score a goal in the competition.

However, they are in the Coppa Italia Round of 16 and only lost one Serie A match this term, winning the last three consecutive league games.

“We have many targets. The dream is to win the Coppa Italia, advance in the Champions League, and finish as high as possible in the Serie A table,” concluded Dallinga.

“Personally, I want to return to the pitch and do what I did last season.”