Samuel Mbangula scored a hat-trick on his first Serie A start as Bologna beat AC Milan 4-2. The win lifted Bologna to 11th and prompted a response from Werder Bremen coach Daniel Thioune.
Mbangula marks first Serie A start
Mbangula scored three times against Milan. After the match, he said: "I still can't really believe it. It all feels like a wonderful dream."
He also said: "That was, without any doubt, the best evening of my entire life!"
Loan move and purchase option
Mbangula joined Bologna on loan from Werder in the summer. His hat-trick against Milan matched his tally in 27 appearances for Werder since his €10 million move from Juventus Turin in summer 2025.
GOAL reported that Bologna reportedly have a €12.5 million option to buy the 22-year-old. Werder also received a €2 million loan fee.
Thioune on Mbangula's potential
On Mbangula's potential, Thioune said: "I'm not surprised, because we've always known about his potential."
Adding to that, he said: "We've always known about his potential. Bringing out that potential, whether by Sam himself or by us, was always a little more challenging. But we're still convinced that he's a really good footballer. In the first year, we also had the problem that he hadn't really settled in culturally and missed his family."
Thioune also said: "You can be sure I'm pleased about it, I sent him a message and congratulated him personally. We didn't part on bad terms. He is a Werder Bremen player. And if he comes back in top form, then it can only be a good thing for him to show everyone here in the summer how good he is."
Bologna's recent league run
GOAL said Domenico Tedesco was sacked after the fourth matchday and that Bologna have gradually found their feet under his successor, Raffaele Palladino. Bologna also beat Cagliari 2-0, with AC Monza awaiting on Saturday.
