Bologna vs Torino – News and Probable Lineups

After swiftly deciding to make a managerial change, Bologna aims to secure their first victory of the Serie A season against Torino at Stadio Dall’Ara on Saturday.

Both teams have had a rocky start under their new managers, but the Rossoblu have responded to their poor performance by parting ways with Domenico Tedesco.

Match overview

Shortly following last week’s defeat against Napoli, Tedesco was dismissed and former Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino was appointed Bologna’s new head coach on a three-year deal.

Following a dismal start to the 2026-27 campaign, the Rossoblu’s management moved quickly, with Tedesco’s side managing only one point from the first four fixtures.

This has resulted in the club’s worst record since 2018, with their only two goals scored coming in a thrilling 2-2 draw at home against Sassuolo.

If not for Artem Dovbyk’s last-minute equalizer in that local derby, Bologna would have yet to find the back of the net, despite registering an impressive tally of 56 shots in total.

Palladino now needs to turn the situation around, starting with remedying the Rossoblu’s poor form at home: the team has lost 10 of their last 16 league matches at Dall’Ara.

However, history may favor him, as Bologna remains unbeaten in their last 10 home games against Torino in the top flight.

Winless in their last six overall, Torino’s most recent win against Bologna came in March 2023 — they have managed just three goals against them since that encounter.

Like Bologna, the Granata have faced challenges early in the season, with uncertain performances under new management.

After losses to AC Milan and Sassuolo, along with a disappointing exit in the Coppa Italia to Monza, Ignazio Abate briefly enjoyed his first league victory with a 2-1 win over Fiorentina.

However, his side fell short in a much sterner test on Monday evening, losing 2-0 to Roma at home, conceding in the dying moments of each half.

Consequently, Torino has lost three of their first four matches for just the third time in the club’s history, putting pressure on Abate to secure results quickly to avoid a similar fate as Tedesco.

Team News

Although Palladino typically favors a three-man defense, he may hold off on making substantial alterations to Bologna’s lineup until after the international break.

It is uncertain whether Lukasz Skorupski, the first-choice goalkeeper, will return after 18-year-old Massimo Pessina was surprisingly named in the lineup against Napoli.

Nadir Zortea and Oussama El Azzouzi have both resumed training following injuries, but Dovbyk and the longstanding player Riccardo Orsolini are anticipated to miss out until after the break.

On the other hand, Torino is expected to see the return of Cesare Casadei, although Che Adams has recently been ruled out due to a thigh strain.

Adams, the only player in either squad with more than one league goal this season, will also miss international duty for Scotland.

In his absence, Giovanni Simeone is likely to spearhead Torino’s attack; despite failing to score in six Serie A games dating back to last season, the Argentine forward has netted five league goals against Bologna previously.

Bologna probable starting XI:

Skorupski; Holm, Heggem, Theate, Miranda; Ferguson, Pobega; Bernardeschi, Odgaard, Cambiaghi; Small

Torino probable starting XI:

Perri; Comuzzo, Coco, Comert; Belghali, Fitz-Jim, Mandragora, Gineitis, Cacciamani; Vlasic; Simeon

Despite Bologna scoring in only one match thus far, Torino has recorded the fewest touches inside the opponent’s box throughout Serie A, suggesting a closely contested fixture may be on the horizon.

As the hosts often struggle to deliver their best performances at home, securing a point would mark a solid debut for Palladino as the new head coach.