Bologna vs Monza – News and Probable Lineups

Following an impressive win against AC Milan at San Siro, an in-form Bologna is set to host 16th-placed Monza at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara this Saturday, looking to secure their fourth win under Raffaele Palladino.

The hero of the previous match, Samuel Mbangula, helped the Rossoblu halt Ruben Amorim’s unbeaten start in the league and has enabled them to rise to 11th place in the Serie A standings. They are now in pursuit of yet another victory that could see them enter the top half of the division.

Match overview

The last time Bologna triumphed over Milan at San Siro was back in January 2016, when Emanuele Giaccherini was the hero in that match, and they had to wait an entire decade before achieving a similar feat.

This time around, Mbangula delivered a historic hat-trick, carrying on Palladino’s strong performance since taking over from Domenico Tedesco in mid-September, following a 1-1 draw with Torino a few days prior.

Even though that draw extended the Felsinei’s winless streak to five matches after suffering three defeats earlier in the season, they have managed to gather nine points from four subsequent games, placing them at 11th in the league.

An interesting factor to note is that all their wins have occurred away from home, with victories of 2-1 at Lecce, 2-0 at Cagliari, and a resounding 4-2 against Milan, while they experienced defeat in their only home match under the new head coach.

However, it is worth noting that this loss was to the reigning titleholders, Inter de Milão, and should not be viewed too negatively for the new head coach, who aims to secure a win against his former side at Dall’Ara this weekend.

In light of this, it will be interesting to see if Monza can take advantage of any complacency from the home side after their outstanding achievement in Milan and put an end to their own losing streak.

Ivan Juric’s side put in a strong performance during the first half against Napoli, with Gustavo Varela netting his eighth goal of the Serie A season just before half-time, boosting the confidence among the Biancorossi fans.

However, as Juric pointed out post-match, the Brianzoli fell apart in the second half, although the former Torino manager found some glimmers of hope in their initial efforts despite the eventual 4-1 defeat.

Some favorable results in other matches mean that Monza currently sits just outside the relegation zone in 16th place, maintaining a two-point cushion above Parma, who drew 0-0 with 17th-placed Udinese earlier in the week.

Juric’s team offers themselves a chance with their high-risk strategy, which has yielded 16 goals, surpassing every other club in the bottom half of the table, but they have conceded a league-high 22 goals, undermining their attacking efforts significantly.

A seventh defeat this weekend could potentially see the Lombardy club drop into the relegation zone, an ominous scenario even at this early point in the season.

Team News

Bologna has done well despite facing ongoing injury challenges: Lorenzo De Silvestri (muscle injury) and Jay Enem (Achilles injury) are uncertain and will undergo assessments, while Riccardo Orsolini (thigh), Emil Holm (thigh), and Roberto Piccoli (hamstring) are confirmed to be out.

Despite his recent hat-trick, Mbangula’s starting position is not guaranteed, as Nicolo Cambiaghi and Federico Bernardeschi are anticipated to occupy the inside-forward roles behind Jens Odgaard in attack.

Juan Miranda has yet to find the net this season, but his four assists highlight his importance as a creator and his capability to break down opposing defenses from wide positions.

The primary threat from the away side is undoubtedly Varela, with the Monza forward’s eight goals putting him ahead of Donyell Malen and Antonio Raimondo, both of whom have netted seven, in the race for the Capocannoniere.

Michael Folorunsho could make his return to the Monza squad after missing the midweek match against Napoli, alongside Yvan Maye; however, Jan Ziolkowski and Matteo Pessina (knee injuries) remain unavailable.

Bologna probable starting XI:

Skorupski; Darmian, Casale, Theate; Zortea, Ferguson, Pobega, Miranda; Bernardeschi, Cambiaghi; Odgaard

Monza probable starting XI:

Tornqvist; Kouadio, Goglichidze, Carboni; Birindelli, Ondoa, Akinsanmiro, Mangas; Mota, Robinson; Varela

Monza’s tally of 16 goals showcases their genuine attacking capabilities, but conceding a league-high 22 means they struggle to control matches against improving opponents.

Bologna should take advantage of these defensive shortcomings and aim to follow up their remarkable triumph at San Siro with a convincing home win this season.