In the city which houses the oldest university in the western world, Celtic survived a stern examination to emerge with a prized pass mark.
While this share of the spoils leaves Martin O’Neill’s side with work to do as they seek to progress to the knock-out round of the Europa League, the matter is very much in their own hands.
A victory at home to an Utrecht side presently sitting 10th in the Dutch league next Thursday will be enough to prolong their interest in the competition.
In a season which has seen no little unrest on and off the park, that would be a highly commendable achievement.
When O’Neill first visited this country with Celtic 25 years ago, the manner of his side’s defeat to Juventus left him fizzing. ‘Extraordinary,’ was the way he famously described the award of a late penalty which condemned his side to a defeat.
That word felt entirely appropriate again on the night this Celtic side showed immense character to emerge with something tangible to show for their considerable efforts.
Reo Hatate got the visitors off to a dream start after capitalising on a Skorupski mistake
Hatate was sent off before the break after collecting two bookings in quick succession
Auston Trusty put Celtic two goals to the good after sliding the ball home at the back post
For a couple of weeks last summer, Reo Hatate was the subject of strong interest from Udinese.
In the opening half hour last night, he played like a man who believed he might yet earn a move to Serie A this month.
The Japanese midfielder seemed intent of reminding the watching world of his undoubted talent. He tapped home the opening goal, drew fouls and sprayed passes all over the park.
It was as if a switch was then flicked. Booked for a foul on Lewis Ferguson, he ran about like a man with his hair on fire.
Just three minutes later, he unwisely clipped Juan Miranda and gave the Greek referee Vasilis Fotias little option to send him packing. Talk about putting your team-mates in a tight spot.
What guts the 10 men he left behind showed for fully an hour thereafter. Auston Trusty, outstanding throughout, netted a second on the cusp of half-time.
While Bologna did strike back in the second half to level through Thijs Dallinga and Jonathan Rowe, Celtic showed serious mettle to emerge with a deserved point.
Make no mistake, that’s an outcome all concerned would readily have taken before a ball was kicked.
Scotland internationalist Lewis Ferguson was handed the captain’s armband for Bologna
And so, a day which began with Celtic supporters wrapped up against the cold in Piazza Maggiore ended with them toasting what felt like a significant result.
Seeking his first win over Celtic at the 17th attempt, Scotland midfielder Lewis Ferguson was handed his first start by manager Vincenzo Italiano in four matches.
Some 3,000 Celtic supporters were inside the Stadio Renato Dall-Ara, a distinctive looking bowl of a stadium which is mostly uncovered.
Celtic started with a sense of purpose. They pressed high and in unison, they won the loose balls and they dictated the tempo. Bologna were rattled.
Arriving after five minutes, the opener was a disaster for Polish keeper Lukasz Skorupski in what was his first appearance since November 9.
A dreadful attempt at passing the ball to his left-back went straight to Daizen Maeda. The forward could hardly believe his luck and kept his cool. He played the ball square to Hatate who scored the easiest goal of his career into an unguarded net.
Seconds later, Maeda unwisely stayed on his feet when Torbjorn Heggem impeded him.
He played in Yang Hyun-jun. The Korean fired the ball towards the top corner. Skorupski threw up an arm and tipped it over.
Thijs Dallinga (centre) headed the Italians back into the contest shortly before the hour-mark
Celtic’s fast start also saw Liam Scales almost bundle the ball home at a corner.
O’Neill’s men were in total control. The Italians were playing like a side who’d won just one of their past nine matches.
Celtic began to give their opponents some encouragement with loose play. Rowe, the ex-Norwich winger, started to exhibit his pace and skills down the right.
Nadir Zortea had a weak shot saved after a one-two with Rowe. A Hatate error forced Callum McGregor to make a magnificent goal-saving tackle on Dallinga. Trusty also denied the forward with a superb block.
From Nikola Moro’s smart corner, Miranda forced Kasper Schmeichel into a fine save as the ball flew through a ruck of bodies. The Dane wasn’t getting to Miranda’s next effort. Fortunately for him, Trusty got his hip in the way.
It all got messy for the visitors around the half-hour mark. Maeda picked up a needless booking before Hatate trumped him with two of his own inside three minutes.
O’Neill got a card for remonstrating with the referee as the red card came out, but Hatate could have no complaints.
At that point, Celtic would have taken the half-time whistle. Incredibly, their depleted numbers retreated to the dressing room with another goal on the board.
Jonathan Rowe capped a fine display with a long-range strike to earn his side a point
Kieran Tierney’s corner was helped on by Arne Engels at the near post. Trusty was on his toes and thumped the ball home off the underside of the bar.
Schmeichel comfortably fielded headers from Tommaso Pobega and Ferguson either side of the break which saw Benjamin Nygren replace Seb Tounekti.
With the action relentless, Maeda was inches away from claiming the third seconds before Schmeichel prevented Nicolo Casale from halving the deficit.
Benjamin Dominguez should have left the Celtic keeper without a prayer when he took aim from nine yards only to strike the bar.
Just before the hour mark, Celtic’s resistance was finally broken. With gaps appearing as the 10 men tired, Moro’s cross was flicked on by sub Jens Odgaard. Dallinga’s header was well directed and this time Schmeichel just couldn’t keep it out.
With the Italians dominating and using the full width of the pitch, it became a hard watch for the visiting fans. Their side defended heroically but they could not get up the park.
Bologna deservedly squared the match on 72 minutes. Trusty did well to knock away yet another corner. Rowe had held his position at the edge of the box. He gathered, wriggled away from a couple of challenges and a wrapped his left foot around the ball.
You expected Schmeichel to save it, but he resembled a mannequin in a shop window as the ball flew past him.
Manager Martin O’Neill knows that a win against Utrecht next week will see Celtic through
While the Dane did then grasp Riccardo Orsolini’s header, there was no disguising his culpability at the equaliser.
An increasingly rare Celtic attack saw sub Johnny Kenny work Skorupski when a cross was the smarter play.
As the clock ran down, Schmeichel produced an excellent block to punch away Nicolo Cambiaghi’s fierce strike.
Celtic then gave the Italians a taste of their own medicine with some gamesmanship to secure a terrific point.
After what he experienced in Turin in 2001, O’Neill will have taken huge satisfaction from that.
