Scotland's Ferguson ends the nightmare for injuries with the Bologna Cup triumph

Lewis Ferguson set up his nightmare for injuries on Wednesday when he won the Italian trophy with Bologna and the 51-year-old waiting for the 51-year waiting time of the Serie A club for a large award with a 1-0 win against AC Milan.

The Scotland midfielder Ferguson had to fight after a difficult time after a cruciate ligament tear in April, an injury that cost him the chance to play at Euro 2024, and a high part of this season.

The 25-year-old, who returned to the plot in November, also had to deal with other muscle injuries that hindered his comeback, but fought back, and was rewarded by Bologna for a historical victory as captain.

Ferguson was of crucial importance again on Wednesday evening, with a typical classic and lively performance at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, before he celebrated wildly with joyful teammates and tearful fans in the stands.

He had to play a large part of the game with a bloody nose after clattering in Rafael Leao towards the end of the first half, and had to change a blue-stained shirt when Bologna defended her slim lead with Dan Ndoyes 53rd-minute strike.

“Obviously I had a very serious injury and had to work very hard for six or seven months. Even more,” Ferguson told reporters on Wednesday evening.

“When I came back, I had to work even harder, then I was injured again and then again.

“It was a really hard year, but I'm really happy to be here. We achieved a historical performance this evening.”

Scott McTominay, teammate from Ferguson, dominated the headlines as the star of a potentially Scudetto-out napoli team.

But Ferguson is one of Scots that already shines in Italy and has blossomed since moving to the Mediterranean nation of Aberdeen in 2022 and one of the stars of Bolognas has recently rescued.

– Make history –

He was the key to Bologna, which last season for the first time for the Modern Champions League and solved a short stay in the old European Cup and outdated in 1964 at the end of 2023 as Scot with the highest Scot in the history of Serie A.

A phase campaign in the bad league in the Top Club competition in Europe brought a downer in the first half of Bologna under coach Vincenzo Italiano.

But things began to click at the end of their failed continental campaign, with the victory against Borussia Dortmund in January – their first in the Champions League – celebrated as if they had won a trophy.

Since then, Bologna has become strength from strength – they are still looking for the Champions League of the next season and are now the cup winner.

“We have grown a lot in the three years since I have been here. Every year we improve our level of play and the way we work,” said Ferguson.

“Last year we made a total of record points, we wrote history by entering the Champions League and have now written history again.”

Ferguson has traveled a long way since his last cup final, which lost to Celtic in his debut season in his debut season in the first team of Aberdeen First.

“This morning I saw this match to remember how I felt … I motivated it for myself tonight,” said Ferguson.

Bologna has two games in her campaign from Serie A to reach the Champions League, and two points separated from fourth place before the Juventus before the stock of Fiorentina and Genoa.

TD/NF