Aiming to continue their long unbeaten streak in Serie A, Bologna visit regional rivals Sassuolo on Saturday afternoon.

Ahead of an Emilian derby, the teams are separated by four points in the standings, with the in-form Rossoblu sitting above their hosts.

Match preview

With only one point from their last three games, Sassuolo have slid down the table and now occupy a spot in the bottom half of Serie A once again.

Having won three from four previously, the Neroverdi have since lived up to their reputation for being consistently inconsistent - drawing with Lecce either side of home defeats to Monza and Lazio.

After their 2-0 reverse to the latter, no other team have lost more Serie A matches this calendar year than Alessio Dionisi's side, who are prone to defensive lapses that undermine some incisive attacking play.

Taking six points from games against Juventus and Inter Milan demonstrated the talent available to Dionisi, but Sassuolo have now conceded at least once in each of their last 17 league fixtures, at an average of two per game.

As they welcome their near neighbours to Reggio Emilia this weekend, the Neroverdi have also failed to keep a single sheet in any of their nine home games against Bologna since arriving in Italy's top flight.

Two weeks after they fought back for a point against Inter just before the international break, Bologna picked up where they left off last weekend, when they overcame promoted Frosinone at Stadio Dall'Ara.

A fast start helped Thiago Motta's men take control of proceedings, as Scottish star Lewis Ferguson and veteran full-back Lorenzo De Silvestri both scored before the half-hour mark, and after a 2-1 win that took them up to eighth place they remain undefeated since August.

Bologna last lost eight games ago - back on the opening matchday, to Milan - and the Emilian club have not put together a nine-match unbeaten run in Serie A since the 2008-09 season.

Resilience on the road has helped take the Rossoblu this far, as they have drawn all four of their away fixtures this term before heading to the Mapei Stadium on Saturday.

Following a derby with Sassuolo, much-admired coach Motta - who has been linked with several more glamorous posts in recent months - will target further progress in the Coppa Italia, a competition in which Bologna host Hellas Verona to sign off their schedule for October.

Team News

Once again, Sassuolo's squad is depleted this weekend, as Mattia Viti (adductor), Matheus Henrique (hamstring), Pedro Obiang (thigh) and Agustin Alvarez (ACL) are still sidelined.

Back-up goalkeeper Alessio Cragno is struggling with a shoulder problem, too, but veteran stopper Andrea Consigli will start between the posts in any case.

Despite losing to Lazio last time out, Alessio Dionisi is set to name a similar side on Saturday, although Nedim Bajrami could replace Samu Castillejo behind lone striker Andrea Pinamonti. Supporting the latter from out wide, Domenico Berardi's recent run of goals means the winger has now scored at least five times in each of the last six Serie A seasons.

Meanwhile, Bologna's back line continues to be compromised by injury, as defensive trio Stefan Posch, Jhon Lucumi and long-term absentee Adama Soumaoro remain unavailable.

Given his team's fine form, Thiago Motta is unlikely to tinker too much with the Rossoblu's starting XI - Dan Ndoye and Victor Kristiansen are the main contenders for promotion from the bench.

Despite firing a blank against Frosinone, Riccardo Orsolini has already netted four goals in nine Serie A appearances this season: he has also been directly involved in five (four of his own and one assist) against Sassuolo to date.

Sassuolo possible starting lineup:
Consigli; Toljan, Erlic, Ferrari, Vina; Boloca, Racic; Berardi, Bajrami, Lauriente; Pinamonti

Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; De Silvestri, Beukema, Calafiori, Kristiansen; Freuler, Aebischer; Orsolini, Ferguson, Saelemaekers; Zirkzee

We say: Sassuolo 2-1 Bologna

Renowned for being a streaky side by nature, Sassuolo could end Bologna's unbeaten run this weekend - but only if they limit the damage in defence. The visitors' good fortune must expire at some point, and a derby defeat could be on the cards.


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