Both seeking just their second win since Serie A's return from the winter break, Bologna and Spezia meet at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on Friday.

After the two teams exited the Coppa Italia last week, Thiago Motta's men went on to pick up a point on Monday, while his former club came a cropper in the capital.

Match preview

Days after exiting the cup at its last-16 stage, Bologna were forced to scrap for a draw at home to rock-bottom Cremonese last time out, after Vlad Chiriches's own goal pulled them level once they had slipped behind.

Only a late goal-line clearance and Lewis Ferguson's close miss denied them victory in the end, but it was ultimately a disappointing result to digest for the Felsinei faithful.

Nonetheless, Bologna have picked up 16 points from 10 home fixtures this term - the club's second-best total over the past decade - while also winning three of their last five at Dall'Ara despite taking just a point from games against Atalanta and Cremonese there this month.

Indeed, the Rossoblu have only won in Udine since returning to competitive action at the end of 2022, so will be keen to give their fans something to shout about on Friday before travelling to Florence for a clash with mid-table rivals Fiorentina next weekend.

Even with half the season still to play, Serie A's top seven is surely out of reach - and with it the prospect of an improbable European qualification - so Bologna's focus will be on achieving a top-half finish.

Victory over Spezia would aid prospects of reaching that goal, but Bologna boss Thiago Motta meets his old club at a tricky time, as the Ligurians are enjoying some improved form so far this year.

A slow start to life under Motta's successor at Stadio Picco included a 2-2 draw with Bologna in September, when they battled back from behind to lead, before settling for a point following Marko Arnautovic's strike midway through the second half.

Fast forward five months and Luca Gotti's side were unbeaten in five league matches as they journeyed south to Rome last weekend - having also kept successive clean sheets into the bargain.

They left the Eternal City empty-handed, though, as conceding two goals in five minutes either side of the interval consigned the Aquilotti to a 2-0 defeat, and they have now lost four of five versus Roma since promotion to Serie A in 2020.

Since suffering their seventh away defeat from nine attempts, Polish defender Jakub Kiwior has departed for Premier League leaders Arsenal, and while that means a major cash injection for such a modestly-funded club, Gotti will hope some signings follow before the transfer window slides shut.

That is because the ever-present danger of dropping back into Serie B is never far away: Spezia sit six points clear of the drop zone - having equalled their best points tally in the first half of a top-flight campaign - but there remains a lot of football to played between now and June.

Team News

Bologna's injury issues show little sign of easing this week, as Kevin Bonifazi (knee), Nicola Sansone (toe) and Lorenzo De Silvestri (calf) join leading goalscorer Marko Arnautovic (foot) on the sidelines again; Gary Medel is still a doubt due to his thigh problem.

In the absence of Arnautovic, who bagged a brace in the reverse fixture, Musa Barrow or Joshua Zirkzee should deputise up front against Spezia. However, a false nine could be deployed by Thiago Motta instead.

Charalampos Lykogiannis is set to continue at left-back for the hosts, though sporting director Marco Di Vaio is apparently seeking a replacement on loan before the end of the month. Fellow full-back Denso Kasius is leaving for Rapid Vienna.

Meanwhile, with London-bound Jakub Kiwior departed, Spezia should continue with Milan loanee Mattia Caldara at the heart of their defence on Friday.

Simone Bastoni's knee injury rules him out until the end of next month, while Dutch goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet is a longer-term absentee, but nine-goal top scorer M'bala Nzola hopes to be available after injury ruled him out of the trip to Rome.

Should the latter - who sits joint-third in the Capocannoniere standings - be passed fit, then Kevin Agudelo or Daniele Verde would most likely drop to the bench.

Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Posch, Soumaoro, Lucumi, Lykogiannis; Dominguez, Schouten; Orsolini, Ferguson, Soriano; Zirkzee

Spezia possible starting lineup:
Dragowski; Amian, Caldara, Nikolaou; Holm, Agudelo, Ampadu, Bourabia, Reca; Gyasi, Verde

We say: Bologna 1-0 Spezia

A dire away record - reading two wins and four goals from nine road trips so far - means Spezia are prime targets for Bologna to defeat and secure a first home success of 2023. The visitors have become harder to beat, but their Emilian hosts are overdue a victory at Dall'Ara and can edge a close-fought encounter.

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