Preview: Roma vs Bologna – prediction, team news, lineups

Finely balanced after final week’s first leg, Roma and Bologna will determine their all-Italian Europa League tie on Thursday, once they reconvene at Stadio Olimpico. 

Vying for a spot within the quarter-finals – the place both Lille or Aston Villa will await – their last-16 clash began with a tight 1-1 draw.

Match preview

By Thursday evening, just one Italian team can be left standing on this season’s Europa League, as the 2 remaining Serie A sides have been drawn collectively. 

Roma got here from behind to revive parity after the primary leg at Stadio Dall’Ara, the place Lorenzo Pellegrini cancelled out Federico Bernardeschi‘s chic opener and each groups struck the woodwork.

Though they have been usually on the again foot in Bologna, the Giallorossi’s continental marketing campaign has proceeded easily to date, having swerved a doubtlessly hazardous playoff by ending eighth within the league section.

Twice runners-up in UEFA’s second-tier match – in 1991 and 2023 – additionally they lifted the inaugural Conference League trophy in 2022, when Jose Mourinho was in cost.

Furthermore, Roma presently boast a coach with expertise of Europa League glory, as Gian Piero Gasperini memorably went all the way in which with Atalanta lower than two years in the past. 

However, when assembly home rivals in Europe, their document is combined: shedding the UEFA Cup closing to Inter Milan, then exiting the 2014-15 Europa League to Fiorentina, earlier than eliminating AC Milan from the latter competitors in 2024.

Before concluding this all-Italian tie, the capital membership have hit a rocky patch in Serie A, shedding their grip on a Champions League qualifying spot.

Having spilled a two-purpose lead to attract with prime-4 rivals Juventus, Gasperini’s males slipped up once more by shedding in Genoa, then they came away from Sunday’s visit to Como empty-handed. 

Though Donyell Malen continued his purple patch by scoring an early penalty, Wesley was then despatched off and Roma suffered a 2-1 defeat, permitting their hosts to maneuver three factors forward and into fourth place.

© Iconsport / LaPresse

By distinction, Bologna loved some Serie A hit final weekend, when a tricky trip to Emilian rivals Sassuolo was determined by Thijs Dallinga‘s medical sixth-minute strike.

That inched them again as much as eighth, however their home marketing campaign has travelled a rocky highway since veering off observe in November: the Rossoblu have already reached 11 league defeats – three greater than all through the entire of final season.

After a dismal spell in mid-winter, Vincenzo Italiano‘s facet not too long ago strung collectively 5 straight wins throughout all competitions earlier than faltering once more, and such inconsistency should concern the previous Fiorentina coach.

Following close to misses within the Conference League and Coppa Italia whereas with the Viola, his present team memorably claimed the cup and competed within the Champions League final time period – however they’re now struggling to clinch a 3rd straight season in Europe.

Italiano and co path sixth-positioned Roma by 9 factors, and hopes of returning to continental competitors absolutely relaxation on profitable the Europa League.

While that will appear an extended shot, they’ve confirmed robust to beat to date: together with final week’s first leg, Bologna are on a document run of 10 European video games with out defeat, beating a 9-sport sequence set within the mid-Nineteen Sixties.

Furthermore, they’ve gained two of their final three video games towards Roma at Stadio Olimpico; the Rossoblu did lose 1-0 there in August, however that’s their sole defeat throughout the final seven conferences – both residence or away.

Roma Europa League type:

W W W W D D

Roma type (all competitions):

D W D L D L

Bologna Europa League type:

W D W W W D

Bologna type (all competitions):

W W W L D W

Team News

© Imago / Marco Canoniero

Roma can welcome key defender Gianluca Mancini again from a ban that dominated him out of the primary leg, whereas Evan Ndicka additionally returns after lacking Sunday’s league defeat, and Wesley’s impending suspension solely applies to Serie A.

However, Gasperini will nonetheless be with out a number of males on account of harm: Paulo Dybala (knee), Artem Dovbyk (thigh) and Evan Ferguson (ankle) are all unavailable.

Matias Soule can be battling a muscular downside, whereas Zeki Celik reported a minor calf difficulty and needed to be withdrawn towards Como.

Due to an absence of attacking choices, Malen can be requested to begin once more: inside two months of his arrival, the Dutch striker is already Roma’s main league scorer.

Meanwhile, Bologna can recall membership captain Lewis Ferguson, who served a home suspension on Sunday, however first selection left-again Juan Miranda should now serve a one-match UEFA ban.

Ex-Roma goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski suffered a hamstring harm towards Sassuolo, so Federico Ravaglia – a daily in cup competitions – could also be requested to deputise.

Having starred within the first leg – recording 10 dribbles for the primary time in Europe, on his 59th continental look – Bernardeschi ought to beat stiff competitors to begin.

Riccardo Orsolini, Nicolo Cambiaghi, Jonathan Rowe and Benjamin Domiguez are additionally in competition to help both Dallinga or Santiago Castro up entrance.

Roma potential beginning lineup:

Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Celik, Cristante, Kone, Wesley; Pisilli, El Shaarawy; Malen

Bologna potential beginning lineup:

Ravaglia; Zortea, Lucumi, Vitik, Mario; Ferguson, Freuler, Pobega; Bernardeschi, Castro, Rowe

We say: Roma 1-0 Bologna (Roma win 2-1 on mixture)

After posting two defeats and a draw from three consecutive away video games, Roma return to the Olimpico, the place they normally elevate their sport in entrance of a partisan residence crowd.

While Bologna have been higher within the first leg, their hosts have loads of current European knockout expertise and may narrowly edge over the road. 

For knowledge evaluation of the more than likely outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.