Closing in on a place in next season's Champions League, Serie A's surprise package Bologna host relegation-threatened Udinese on Sunday.

Curiously, both teams played Roma last time out; while Bologna won their top-five tussle last weekend, Udinese suffered a last-gasp defeat to the capital club on Thursday evening.

Match preview

Having come out on top in a contest between two teams vying for Champions League qualification, Bologna's 3-1 defeat of Roma left the Emilian club eight points clear of sixth-placed Atalanta BC, and a place in Italy's final top five is very much theirs to lose.

A surprise selection by the Rossoblu's tactical maestro Thiago Motta, Moroccan midfielder Oussama El Azzouzi spectacularly opened the scoring at Stadio Olimpico, where Alexis Saelemaekers and top scorer Joshua Zirkzee were also on target for the visitors.

They now return to their stronghold at Stadio Dall'Ara, which has witnessed 12 wins from 17 Serie A fixtures this season; either home or away, Bologna's sole loss in their last 13 league matches was to new champions Inter Milan last month.

A tally of 62 points so far represents the club's best rate at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 1967, so it is no wonder that Motta's work in Emilia-Romagna is drawing admiring glances from across the continent.

His side rarely know when they are beaten, too, as only Napoli and Cagliari have gained more points from losing positions - the potency of Zirkzee and Italy winger Riccardo Orsolini always offers a threat, while several other players have chipped in with crucial goals.

However, one occasion the Rossoblu failed to fight back from behind was in December's reverse fixture against Udinese, which they surprisingly lost 3-0.

Winless in their last five visits to the Dall'Ara, there will be some 34 points separating Udinese from their hosts when Sunday's game kicks off, following a dismal 2023-24 campaign.

While Bologna are comeback kings, only Sassuolo have dropped more points from winning positions than the Friulani (22) throughout Serie A, and they somehow let a draw slip from their grasp deep into stoppage-time of an unusual encounter in midweek.

With a new coach in charge - since previous boss Gabriele Cioffi had been replaced by Fabio Cannavaro just a few days earlier - Udinese played out the final 18 minutes of their game against Roma, nearly two weeks after Evan Ndicka's collapse caused it to be suspended.

They re-started level at 1-1, but Bryan Cristante headed home from a corner in the dying embers to break Bianconeri hearts and spoil Cannavaro's grand arrival.

Though Udinese remain one of seven teams trying to avoid two relegation places alongside Serie B-bound Salernitana, the Italy legend at least inherits a team with 16 points from as many away games so far - more than any other side still scrapping for survival.

Team News

Despite enjoying a successful trip to Rome last week, Bologna boss Thiago Motta may still make changes to his starting XI on Sunday, as Riccardo Orsolini is expected to regain his place in the lineup and Victor Kristiansen could also return at left-back.

However, Oussama El Azzouzi's bold performance at the Olimpico may help him hold off competition from Giovanni Fabbian to support star striker Joshua Zirkzee in attack.

In addition to captain Lewis Ferguson (ACL), Adama Soumaoro (knee) and Jens Odgaard (thigh) are still sidelined by injury.

While Nehuen Perez has recovered from a blow to the head suffered on Thursday, Udinese will again be without Florian Thauvin, Enzo Ebosse, Sandi Lovric and long-term absentee Gerard Deulofeu this weekend.

It remains to be seen whether Fabio Cannavaro will make many alterations to the Bianconeri's ingrained three-at-the-back formation, but his options are seriously limited in attack.

Captain Roberto Pereyra is therefore set to support top scorer Lorenzo Lucca up front, having been involved in two goals in his last three appearances - he also found the net in December's reverse fixture.

Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Posch, Beukema, Calafiori, Kristiansen; Freuler, Aebischer; Orsolini, El Azzouzi, Saelemaekers; Zirkzee

Udinese possible starting lineup:
Okoye; Kristensen, Bijol, Perez; Ehizibue, Payero, Walace, Samardzic, Kamara; Pereyra; Lucca

We say: Bologna 1-0 Udinese

Bologna boast Serie A's second-best home record, so seeing off struggling Udinese seems straightforward on paper. With a new boss in charge and facing the distinct danger of relegation, the Fruilani should put up a brave fight before succumbing again.


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