By David 
Okay so this time I wanted to figure out how to actually follow everything happening around this Liverpool vs Bologna friendly. Seemed simple enough, right? Wrong. It turned into a proper little mission.
The Starting Point: Confusion & Scattered Info
First off, I saw the match announced but couldn’t find one solid place telling me exactly what was happening and when. Is it just a single game? Are there multiple parts? Pre-match stuff? All scattered across different places – the club’s website has one snippet, Twitter has buzz but no clear schedule, fan forums had rumours flying. I felt like I was chasing my tail.
So, step one was admitting I needed a clear timeline just for myself. Not just the kick-off time, but all the bits surrounding it.
My Timeline Hunt Begins
I cracked open my laptop and basically went down the rabbit hole:
- Opened about 15 tabs: Official LFC site, reliable fan news sites (you know the ones run by actual journalists), Bologna’s official stuff (which is trickier in Italian!), the broadcaster’s page (big headache finding who was showing it!).
- Checked and double-checked timezones: Seriously, this is where most mistakes happen. Saw a time listed as “local” – is that Bologna time or UK time? Almost messed that up. Used two different timezone converters just to be safe.
- Looked for schedule patterns: Noticed mentions of “two separate 60-minute games”. Why? Who decided that? Dug deeper. Found info suggesting it was to give minutes to different squads, almost like two mini-games.
- Searched social media: Scrolled through LFC’s official accounts, looking for pinned posts or schedule announcements. Easier said than done amidst the pre-season hype videos!
- Cross-referenced: Took a rumour about a special “Legends Game” happening before the main event? Awesome! But was it confirmed? Checked LFC Foundation accounts, fan sites dedicated to ex-players – finally found a solid source ruling it out for this specific event.
- Kept refreshing: Things change! Especially friendlies. Squad announcements? Injury updates potentially affecting lineups? Had to keep hitting refresh on key pages as the game got closer.
The “Aha!” Moment & Building My List
Finally, after feeling like I’d wasted half a morning, I pieced it together clearly. The key events were:
- Kick-off for Game 1: (Specific Time UK/BST, confirmed timezone!) – Squads likely Team A vs Bologna Part 1.
- Game 1 Ends & Quick Turnaround: Short break? Substitutions galore? This is where knowing the “two games” format mattered.
- Kick-off for Game 2: (Straight after, roughly) – Squads now mostly Team B vs Bologna Part 2.
- Game 2 Ends & Wrap-Up: Final whistle, analysis starts popping up.
But the important bits around it:
- Official team sheets released roughly ~1 hour before Game 1.
- TV coverage starting maybe 30 mins pre-game (essential to know when to tune in!).
- Where legitimate updates would appear live (Specific broadcaster app/service, specific reliable Twitter accounts).
Sharing the Knowledge (& Avoiding Pitfalls)
The whole point was to avoid the frantic “Wait, is it on now?!” scramble. So, once I had my timeline nailed down:
- I scribbled it on a note stuck to my monitor (low tech, works!).
- Set alarms on my phone for the key moments: “Teams Announced!”, “Coverage Starts!”, “Game 1 Kick-Off!”, “Game 2 Kick-Off!”.
- Disabled useless app notifications, kept only the critical ones from trusted sources. Way too easy to get bombarded otherwise.
Result? Followed the whole thing smoothly. Knew exactly when stuff was happening, why there were two chunks, and didn’t miss key moments checking a thousand places. Simple? Not at first. Worth it? Absolutely for a proper fan.
