Torino vs Bologna – News and Probable Lineups

Separated by three points in the Serie A table, two teams in poor form will battle for an elusive win as Torino take on Bologna on Sunday.

The away side has suffered defeats in their last four league outings, and their Coppa Italia campaign has just concluded, while Torino needed a last-gasp equalizer to prevent yet another defeat last week.

Match overview

After squandering a lead against relegation-threatened Fiorentina, Torino was on track for their second defeat in four days until Guillermo Maripan scored a stoppage-time equalizer at Stadio Franchi.

Toro was knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Inter de Milão, and a previous streak of four consecutive defeats was only interrupted with a slim 1-0 victory over lowly Lecce in Turin.

Now, the Granata will aim to secure back-to-back home wins in the top division for the first time since October, moving them closer to safety in the mid-table.

Trailing Bologna by three points, Marco Baroni’s squad has a chance to bridge that gap this weekend, but their defensive issues persist: Torino has conceded the most goals in Serie A (42), which includes a 6-0 defeat to Como last month.

They did achieve a clean sheet in the previous fixture back in October, which finished in a 0-0 draw at Stadio Dall’Ara, but Torino has not won any of their last five league encounters with Bologna, scoring in just one.

Recent performances may provide them with some confidence, but Bologna’s current form has sent them into crisis mode ahead of their trip to Turin.

The Rossoblu have lost their last four Serie A fixtures; indeed, since the beginning of December, they have recorded the highest number of losses (eight) and conceded the most goals (23) in Italy’s top flight.

Undoubtedly, much has shifted since they ended a 51-year wait for a major trophy by clinching the Coppa Italia last May.

After a promising start to the 2025-26 season, Vincenzo Italiano’s side has dropped down the standings, suffering a devastating defeat to Emilian rivals Parma recently.

Even with Tommaso Pobega receiving a red card midway through the first half, they managed to come close to an unlikely victory, but were thwarted by Parma’s exceptional goalkeeper before conceding a goal with almost the last kick of the game.

Add to that misery, Bologna’s cup defense ended with Lazio on Wednesday, as they followed a 1-1 home draw with a 4-1 defeat on penalties, with star player Riccardo Orsolini one of the three players who missed.

This effectively shut the door on Bologna’s last domestic pathway back to Europe, with the Europa League now set to be their only focus, starting with a playoff leg against SK Brann next week.

Team News

Despite injuries to Ivan Ilic, Rafa Obrador, and Ardian Ismajli, Torino striker Giovanni Simeone – who recently made a permanent move from Napoli – has completely recovered from a thigh injury.

Baroni’s choices will also be strengthened with the return of January signing Matteo Prati and captain Nikola Vlasic, both of whom were unavailable last week due to suspension.

After coming off the bench against former club Fiorentina, Simeone can now compete with Che Adams, Alieu Njie, and Sandro Kulenovic for a role in the attack.

Having scored the opener at Stadio Franchi, Torino midfielder Cesare Casadei now has three Serie A goals this season and will aim to maintain that momentum against Bologna’s leaky defence.

Bologna is likely to implement changes following their midweek Coppa Italia loss, with several players expected to come into the starting XI who were sidelined on Wednesday.

Only Charalampos Lykogiannis is certainly out due to injury, as Italiano hopes both Torbjorn Heggem and Lorenzo De Silvestri can recover, although Pobega is obligated to serve a suspension.

As usual, Thijs Dallinga and Santiago Castro – the latter of whom has just signed a new four-year contract – will compete for a role in leading Bologna’s attack.

Torino probable starting XI:

Paleari; Marianucci, Maripan, Coco; Pedersen, Ilkhan, Casadei, Lazaro; Vlasic; Adams, Simeone

Bologna probable starting XI:

Skorupski; Mario, Casale, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Ferguson; Orsolini, Odgaard, Rowe; Castro

Both Bologna and Torino are facing challenges in shoring up their defenses, potentially allowing attackers some opportunity to shine.

A single point would not be beneficial for either team, but they might have to settle for a frustrating draw, leaving both teams stuck in mid-table.