Bologna vs Juventus Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Italian Serie A
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Bologna are preparing for life without Joshua Zirkzee as the Dutchman is injured and the high flyers are bidding farewell to coach Thiago Motta, too, who is expected to join Juventus in the summer.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: UK – 19:45 / US EST – 14:45 / US PST – 12:45
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: This match will be televised live on TNT Sports in the UK. / This match will not be televised in the US.
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: This match will be streamed live via the TNT Sports app in the UK. / This match will be streamed live via Paramount+ in the US.
BOLOGNA PREVIEW: BIDDING FAREWELL TO THE BOSS
It has been an absolutely magnificent campaign for Bologna this season as they begin the final few weeks of this season tucked inside the top four and set to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Bologna come into this one on the back of another famous win against last season’s champions Napoli with Dan Ndoye and Stefan Posch making it 2-0 in 12 minutes and they held on to that.
Their manager, former Paris Saint-Germain and Italy international midfielder Thiago Motta, has produced an excellent and effective style of football as they move towards Europe’s elite stage. However, the concern and issue for Bologna would be that Thiago Motta is being heavily linked with a move to the giants of Juventus.
JUVENTUS PREVIEW: RE-FOCUSING AFTER THE CUP FINAL
On Wednesday evening, Massimiliano Allegri and Juventus embodied exactly what the club is about. As a former Sporting Director said: “winning isn’t everything, it is the only thing” when it comes to Juve and they did so in the final of the Coppa Italia. Dusan Vlahovic’s fourth minute strike was enough to separate themselves and Atalanta.
The Bianconeri had been in really poor form up until that final victory and were second best for large parts of it. The Old Lady needed a second-half stoppage-time equaliser from Adrien Rabiot to prevent bottom-of-the-table and already relegated Salernitana winning for just the third time this season last weekend, for example.
BOLOGNA TEAM NEWS: ZIRKZEE ISSUE FOR THIAGO MOTTA
Thiago Motta has a few really important absentees for this weekend’s visit of Juventus as Lewis Ferguson has been joined on the sidelines from Netherlands attacker Joshua Zirkzee. Adama Soumaoro remains a long-term injury issue.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Ravaglia; Posch, Jhon Lucumi, Calafiori, Kristiansen; Aebischer, Freuler; Odgaard, Urbanski, Ndoye; Orsolini
UNAVAILABLE: Zirkzee (Injured), Ferguson (Injured), Soumaoro (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
JUVENTUS TEAM NEWS: FAGIOLI RETURNS FOR JUVE
Nicolo Fagioli has returned to the first-team after his ban for gambling but fellow midfielder Paul Pogba remains out suspended due to his doping ban. Experienced defender Mattia De Sciglio is unavailable due to injury, too.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Rugani; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Vlahovic, Kean
UNAVAILABLE: Pogba (Suspended), De Sciglio (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
BOLOGNA VS JUVENTUS PREDICTION
This one is a poignant and well-timed affair with the news breaking in recent days that Thiago Motta has reportedly received an offer to become the new Juventus head coach on a three-year contract. What better way to audition even more for the role, though, than by defeating the Coppa Italia winners in his final home game at Bologna. Bologna will need to undergo a serious rebuild this summer and will find life difficult without Joshua Zirkzee but there may well be something fitting about the hosts getting over the line in this one. Back Bologna, but via the safety of the draw no bet market.
BOLOGNA VS JUVENTUS TIP: BOLOGNA DRAW NO BET
