Preview: Bologna vs SK Brann – prediction, team news, lineups

Leading by one purpose after an in depth-fought first leg, Bologna will goal to complete the job on Thursday, once they reconvene with SK Brann within the Europa League playoffs.

Vying to satisfy both Roma or Freiburg within the final 16, the pair will meet for the third time this season, after a league-part draw at Stadio Dall’Ara and final week’s win for the Italian facet in Norway.

Match preview

Continuing their latest return to kind, Bologna seized a vital lead final Thursday night, as Santiago Castro‘s early strike secured victory in Brann.

As a consequence, the Emilian facet are nicely set to progress from their first UEFA knockout tie for 26 years, having additionally prolonged a powerful Europa League unbeaten streak.

After dropping to Aston Villa on the opening matchday, Bologna have misplaced none of their subsequent eight fixtures, which represents their greatest undefeated sequence in Europe since 1971.

Having narrowly didn’t e book automated entry to the final 16 by ending tenth within the league part, Vincenzo Italiano‘s males should take an extended route, whereas making an attempt to arrest their slide down the Serie A standings. 

Last 12 months’s Coppa Italia winners endured a mid-season downturn, through which they struggled to choose up factors and had been knocked out of the cup, however there have since been some inexperienced shoots of restoration.

Either facet of beating Brann, the Rossoblu have returned to eighth place by posting league wins over Torino and Udinese – the latter ending a 4-recreation dropping streak on house turf.

Even so, there nonetheless appears to be no home return path to Europe, leaving the Europa League as their major focus. 

Bologna have by no means misplaced a house knockout match of their continental historical past – profitable 16 and drawing 11 of 27 earlier video games – so historical past suggests they need to at the very least attain the subsequent spherical.

© Imago / Goal Sports Images

In distinction to their opponents, Brann solely secured a knockout spot by ending twenty fourth – the final out there playoff place – having picked up only one level from their final three league-part matches.

Though they nonetheless edged by way of – matching the membership’s greatest efficiency in Europe’s second-tier competitors; a run to the final 32 again in 2007-08 – Freyr Alexandersson‘s facet now have to win on the Dall’Ara with a purpose to go any additional.

Brann completed fourth in Norway’s prime flight final 12 months, incomes qualification to subsequent season’s Conference League, however they’ve since been in mid-winter hibernation domestically.

A brand new Eliteserien marketing campaign kicks off halfway by way of subsequent month, however they have to first attempt to higher the consequence once they travelled to Bologna in November.

On that event, they had been held to a goalless draw by their 10-man hosts, persevering with the Bergen membership’s look forward to a primary victory over Italian opposition.

Not solely have they didn’t win any of 4 earlier conferences with Serie A sides – and with out even scoring a purpose – however Brann have additionally received simply one among their final 12 European knockout video games on the highway.

Bologna Europa League kind:

W D L D W W

Bologna kind (all competitions):

L L L W W W

SK Brann Europa League kind:

D D L D L L

Team News

© Imago

If Norway worldwide Torbjorn Heggem can overcome a minor hip drawback, Bologna boss Italiano ought to have all of his first-alternative gamers out there, solely leaving three defenders on the sidelines.

Both ex-Brann man Eivind Helland and veteran full-again Lorenzo De Silvestri had been omitted from the Rossoblu’s UEFA squad checklist, whereas Charalampos Lykogiannis – who was despatched off when these groups met in November – is injured.

Thijs Dallinga and Castro will proceed their battle for choice up entrance: the latter began Monday’s house win over Udinese and has scored in three of his final 4 appearances.

Restricted to pre-season friendlies and occasional Europa League contests, Brann have been with out aggressive home soccer for a number of weeks, however they’re nonetheless burdened by a protracted absence checklist.

Saevar Atli Magnusson, Eggert Aron Gudmundsson, Jonas Torsvik, Niklas Jensen Wassberg, Sakarias Opsahl and Chilean striker Niklas Castro are all unavailable.

Set to start out within the guests’ midfield, Jacob Sorensen received the joint-most duels of any participant throughout the league part (62).

Bologna doable beginning lineup:

Skorupski; Zortea, Lucumi, Casale, Miranda; Ferguson, Freuler, Moro; Bernardeschi, Cambiaghi; Castro

SK Brann doable beginning lineup:

Dyngeland; De Roeve, Knudsen, Boakye, Soltvedt; Mhyre, Sorensen, Ingason; Mathisen, Holm, Thorsteinsson

We say: Bologna 1-0 SK Brann (Bologna win 2-0 on combination)

Bologna had been the higher facet when Brann visited in November – regardless of taking place to 10 males halfway by way of the primary half – and so they maintain a precious lead from the away leg.

Having additionally halted their mid-season stoop, the hosts can win once more in Emilia-Romagna and proceed safely to the subsequent stage.

For knowledge evaluation of the most certainly outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.