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Bologna will invite Roma to the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara in the Serie A on Sunday.
Both teams have 25 points from 15 league games thus far. The visitors are in fourth place in the league standings, a place above the hosts, thanks to their superior goal difference (11).
The hosts are unbeaten in their last five league outings and held Fiorentina to a 1-1 draw last week. Romelu Lukaku opened the scoring for the capital club in the fifth minute but a red card for Nicola Zalewski in the 64th minute allowed Fiorentina to equalize as Lucas Martínez Quarta scored just two minutes later. Lukaku picked up a red card in the 87th minute and is suspended for this match.
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Their form continued in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday as they signed off for the group-stage campaign with a 3-0 win over Sheriff. Lukaku and Andrea Belotti were on the scoresheet alongside Niccolò Pisilli, who scored his debut goal for the capital club.
The visitors registered a 2-1 win over Salernitana last week thanks to Joshua Zirkzee's first-half brace. They have suffered just one defeat across all competitions since August.
Bologna vs Roma Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two sides have a long-standing rivalry and will meet for the 160th time. They have contested these games closely, with the capital club having a 57-53 lead in wins and 49 games have ended in stalemates.
- The visitors were unbeaten in their two league meetings against the hosts, keeping clean sheets in both, as the away game ended in a goalless draw and the reverse fixture ended in a 1-0 win for Jose Mourinho's men.
- Bologna have registered five wins in a row at home, keeping four clean sheets in that period.
- Roma are unbeaten in their last six games across all competitions, recording three wins and playing three draws.
- The last five meetings between the two teams have produced under 2.5 goals, with the visitors keeping four clean sheets.
Bologna vs Roma Prediction
The Rossoblù have suffered just one loss at home in all competitions since February. They have won five of their last six home games in Serie A, keeping four clean sheets, and are strong favorites in this encounter. Interestingly, they have just two wins at home against the capital club since 2008.
Head coach Thiago Motta has built a strong defensive team and they have conceded just four goals in home games in Serie A. He welcomed back a few players from injuries earlier this week and only Adama Soumaoro, Riccardo Orsolini, and Jesper Karlsson remain sidelined for this clash.
The Giallorossi are unbeaten in their last six games across all competitions. They have struggled in their travels, with just one win in their last five away games. They have just two wins in their last 11 away games in Serie A and might struggle here.
The lengthy absentee list is the main headache for Mourinho, to which Houssem Aouar was added on Thursday with a thigh injury. Their top scorer Romelu Lukaku is suspended for the match, so they might struggle in the final third.
With that in mind and considering the hosts' current form, we back them to eke out a narrow win and the odds of a clean sheet also look good.
Prediction: Bologna 1-0 Roma
Bologna vs Roma Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Bologna to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Under 2.5 goals
Tip 3: Bologna to keep a clean sheet - Yes
Tip 4: Joshua Zirkzee to score or assist any time - Yes
