Seeking their fourth straight win over Atalanta BC in Serie A, Bologna will welcome La Dea to Stadio Dall'Ara on Saturday evening.
Across all competitions, the hosts have drawn each of their last six home matches, but they will be aiming for back-to-back wins this weekend.
Match preview
© Imago
Finally ending their drought after six league matches without success, Bologna saw off the challenge of another winless side, Monza, last weekend, fresh from making a long-awaited Champions League debut.
Santiago Castro's late winner secured a 2-1 victory for the Rossoblu, which relieved some pressure on new boss Vincenzo Italiano - twice a Conference League finalist with Fiorentina - who was hired to lead them into Europe.
Bologna now return to the Dall'Ara, where - in addition to a goalless stalemate with Shakhtar Donetsk - they have drawn each of their last five league matches.
That leaves them just one shy of matching the longest such streak throughout their whole Serie A history - posted back in 1981 - but Italiano will understandably be keen to end the single-point sequence with a win.
Ahead of two more challenging contests - versus Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League, then an Emilian derby against Parma - his team must face a fellow Champions League side on Saturday.
The omens for an overdue home win are quite promising: Bologna and Atalanta have drawn just one of their last 12 league meetings at Stadio Dall'Ara, and the Rossoblu have recently won their last three games against La Dea.
© Imago
Atalanta have never before lost four times in a row to Bologna in the Italian top flight, and they are intent on avoiding that fate this weekend.
However, inconsistency has plagued a sometimes promising start to the 2024-25 season, and Tuesday's shock loss to strugglers Como left La Dea on a modest tally of six points in the Serie A standings - level with their next hosts.
Even if Atalanta win in Bologna, they will have failed to reach double figures after six rounds for the first time since 2018, having continued a shaky defensive record by shipping three more goals in their home defeat earlier this week.
Gian Piero Gasperini's men may have held Arsenal to a 0-0 draw in the Champions League, but they have conceded the most goals (11) in Serie A so far, also facing 27 shots on target - only fewer than newly promoted pair Venezia and Parma.
Having lost their last two away matches - against surprise leaders Torino and reigning champions Inter Milan - the Nerazzurri will now hope to avoid a run of three straight defeats on the road. That is something they have not suffered in Serie A since 2017.
- D
- L
- D
- D
- W
- W
- L
- L
- W
- L
Team News
© Imago
While Lewis Ferguson is closing in on his long-awaited return from an ACL injury and should return to action next month, Bologna will still be without Oussama El Azzouzi and Nicolo Cambiaghi for some time yet.
Tommaso Pobega is also struggling with a knee problem, so Vincenzo Italiano may keep faith with his midfield selection after securing a first win since taking the reins.
Up front, Santiago Castro has scored late goals in both of his last two league games and should start again, with support from captain Riccardo Orsolini. The latter made his first eight Serie A appearances for Atalanta seven years ago, and he has since been directly involved in five goals against them.
Meanwhile, La Dea's Ademola Lookman has found the net in each of his last four league matches following a stoppage-time penalty against Como earlier this week.
Lookman should be recalled to the starting XI, as Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to reshuffle his pack after being dissatisfied with the nature of Atalanta's most recent defeat.
Once again, the Bergamo club will be without long-term absentees Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini (both ACL), plus defensive duo Isak Hien (thigh) and Rafael Toloi (muscular).
Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Posch, Beukema, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Aebischer; Orsolini, Urbanski, Ndoye; Castro
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Kossounou, Kolasinac; Bellanova, Ederson, De Roon, Ruggeri; Samardzic, Lookman; Retegui
We say: Bologna 1-1 Atalanta BC
Bologna could be bound for a remarkable seventh successive home draw, as they are set to score against hit-and-miss Atalanta but are also likely to be caught out at the other end.
The teams finished side-by-side in Serie A last season, and for all La Dea's individual quality, the Europa League winners tend to struggle on the road.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
