For two of the following three seasons, Maresca was loaned to fellow league teams Bologna F.C. 1909 and Piacenza Calcio – co-ownershp deal in the latter case – scoring nine goals in 2002–03 but suffering team relegation. During the previous campaign, he notably netted an important equaliser in the Derby della mole return leg, against neighbouring Torino FC; he attracted controversy, however, when he celebrated the goal by mimicking Torino's Marco Ferrante's earlier "Bull-horn" goal celebration (the bull being a club symbol as it is Turin's coat of arms, and the side also being known in its contracted form as "Toro", bull in Italian). Juventus subsequently bought the remaining 50% of his rights for €2.6 million.