Bologna vs Roma Preview & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Europa League | Round of 16

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We have an all-Italian encounter in the round of 16 of the UEFA Europa League as Bologna welcome Roma to the Renato Dall’Ara for this first-leg on Thursday.

Kick-off date/time:

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / US – Paramount+

Key stats

• This is the first UEFA competition meeting between Bologna and Roma.
• Bologna’s only previous UEFA tie against an Italian club came in the 1998 Intertoto Cup semi‑final. They beat Sampdoria 3-2 on aggregate, winning 3-1 at home before losing 1-0 away. That run eventually led them to qualify for the UEFA Cup that season.
• Roma have faced Italian opposition in European ties three times before.   
• Inter (1991 UEFA Cup final): Lost 2-1 on aggregate (0-2 a, 1-0 h)
• Fiorentina (2014/15 Europa League round of 16): Eliminated 4-1 on aggregate (1-1 a, 0-3 h)
• Milan (2023/24 Europa League quarter‑finals): Won 3-1 on aggregate (1-0 a, 2-1 h)
• Bologna are competing in the last 16 of a major UEFA competition for the first time since the 1998/99 UEFA Cup when they reached the quarter-finals with a 4-2 aggregate victory against Real Betis.
• Bologna are unbeaten in their last nine UEFA Europa League matches (W6 D3). The run includes five wins from their most recent six outings (D1) and stands as the longest unbeaten sequence in the club’s history in UEFA competition.
• Bologna have lost only two of their previous 32 UEFA competition home matches (W18 D12).
• Bologna have won 12 of their last 15 UEFA two-legged ties.
• Bologna have lost the first leg in only one of their last 16 UEFA two-legged ties (W11 D4).
• This is Roma’s 12th successive season in a UEFA competition round of 16.
• Roma have won three of their seven previous round of 16 ties in the UEFA Europa League.
• Roma are unbeaten in their last five UEFA Europa League matches with four successive wins followed by a draw.
• Roma are unbeaten in their four previous UEFA Europa League away matches this season. 

Bologna vs Roma prediction

Bologna have turned their form around in recent weeks after the pressure had begun to become immense on manager Vincenzo Italiano. After a four-match winning streak, though, the hosts put in another poor performance at the weekend as they succumbed to a 2-1 loss at home to Serie A’s basement club Hellas Verona.

They now face a Roma side that, coached by Gian Piero Gasperini, who led Atalanta to the 2024 UEFA Europa League trophy, will be expected to go deep here. However, the Giallorossi are in average form at the moment with their 2-1 loss away at Genoa at the weekend making it just one win in their last four matches.

These are two strong but completely out of form sides and so a low-scoring first-leg would seem quite likely as they prepare for an all out clash in the second-leg.

Bologna vs Roma tip: Under 2.5 goals