Bologna vs Roma Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Bologna have once again overperformed this season, despite many changes over the summer, and they now welcome a resurgent Roma to the Renato Dall’Ara this weekend.
Kick-off date/time: Sunday 12th January, 2025: UK – 5:00pm / US ET – 12:00pm / US PT – 9:00am
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – Select matches will be televised on CBS Sports so it is worth checking their schedule
How to watch online: UK – OneFootball / US – Paramount+
Bologna Preview: Italiano’s Bologna
Despite the aforementioned key departures of manager Thiago Motta as well as players such as Riccardo Calafiori and Joshua Zirkzee, former Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Italiano has got his Bologna side punching above their weight after a slow-ish start to the campaign.
They begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting above AC Milan in the top seven and the European spots. They most recently suffered a surprise defeat at home to struggling Hellas Verona a couple of weeks ago to round off an impressive 2024.
Roma Preview: Ranieri’s Roman ruins
Claudio Ranieri came out of retirement to become Roma’s third permanent manager of the campaign after the sackings of Daniele De Rossi and Ivan Juric during the November international break and the Giallorossi have been much-improved since his re-appointment.
Roma come into this one on the back of yet another big result and big performance as they defeated Lazio by two goals to nil in the Derby della Capitale at the Stadio Olimpico last weekend thanks to strikes from Lorenzo Pellegrini and Alexis Saelemaekers.
Bologna Team News: Pobega suspension
Bologna will be without midfielder Tommaso Pobega through suspension for this weekend with forward Nicolo Cambiaghi out through injury. Austria international Stefan Posch and Switzerland international Michel Aebischer are both injury doubts, too.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Skorupski; Holm, Beukema, Jhon Lucumi, Juan Miranda; Freuler, Moro; Odgaard, Fabbian, Dominguez; Castro
Unavailable: El Azzouzi (Injured), Pobega (Suspended), Cambiaghi (Injured)
Questionable: Posch (Injured), Aebischer (Injured)
Roma Team News: A few issues
Italy international midfielder Bryan Cristante remains an injury absentee for Roma due to an ankle issue. As well as the absence of Cristante, back-up goalkeeper Mat Ryan is an injury doubt as Turkish defender Zeki Celik deals with illness.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Svilar; Mancini, Hummels, Ndicka; Saelemaekers, Kone, Paredes, Pellegrini, Tasende; Dybala, Dovbyk
Unavailable: Cristante (Injured)
Questionable: Ryan (Illness), Celik (Illness)
Bologna vs Roma Prediction
Bologna will be expected to continue their rise after finishing 2024 quite poorly. They do have a few issues in the squad and will seek to rectify that during the January transfer window but they will be able to fully focus on domestic action with the end of their UEFA Champions League campaign coming later this month. They face a Roma side that have primarily improved defensively but Ranieri is now getting a tune out of both Paulo Dybala and Artem Dovbyk so both teams scoring may well be a good value bet for this one.
Bologna vs Roma Tip: Both teams to score
