Bologna returns Stadio Renato Dell'Ara after suffering a 0-1 away at Atlanta in the weekend. Bologna will be hosting Lazio after a backdrop of a weak home run with the Rossoblu only managing a single home win in four Serie A matches. However, the overall form of the hosts is good with Bologna amassing ten points from the possible fifteen points in the last five Serie A league matches.

Bologna heads into the fixture placed eighth in the Serie A league standings, and they know too well that a win in front of the home fan could propel them to position seven if Chievo Verona loses against AC Milan.

Lazio makes a trip to Bologna after a 3-0 home victory over Cagliari at the weekend. Lazio is currently fourth in the Serie A table leveled on points with the third placed, Juventus who also have 22 points but have superior goal difference. A win for Lazio could see the visitors climb the league ladder to the third spot should Juventus fail to record a win. However, a defeat at Bologna cannot make Lazio city to lose their fourth position to their city rivals, Roma who are ranked fifth with 18 points.

Talking points

  • Bologna has won the Italian league crown seven times with the last title coming in 1963/64. Roberto Donadoni team finished fifteenth last season in Serie A and will be fighting for a top ten finish this term.
  • Lazio has clinched Italian title twice with the latest one coming in 1999/2000. The team from Roma finished fifth in the previous season and will undoubtedly challenge for a Champions League spot this season.
  • Bologna has never beaten Lazio in the past eight matches in all competitions.
  • Lazio is in a brilliant form that has seen Simone Inzaghi's side win seven of its last eight matches in Serie A. The previous nine Lazio's fixtures in Serie A have realized more than three goals each. In fact, Biancazzurri has scored at least two goals in eight of the last nine Serie A matches.
  • Lazio's striker, Ciro Immobile leads in the top scorers' table after scoring 13 Serie A goals in just nine games. The Italian forwarder has converted all the five penalties he has taken this season in the Italian elite league.

Team news

Saphir Taider and Ibrahima Mbaye are automatic absentees for the home team who will be hosting a team with an excellence away form after winning all the last four away matches in Serie A.

Bologna defender Giancarlo Gonzalez will miss the tie due to suspension after he received two yellow cards in the defeat to Atlanta at the weekend.

Other than the three absentees on the hosts' side, Roberto Donadoni has the rest of his players to choose from. Here's the lineup that Bologna manager is likely to field; Antonio Mirante, Filip Helander, Sebastien De Maio, Emil Krafth, Adam Masina, Simone Verdi, Godfred Donsah, Erick Pulgar, Andrea, Mattia Destro, and Federico Di Francesco.

Wallace, Dusan Basta, and Felipe Anderson will miss the trip to Bologna as they are nursing injuries they sustained in the previous matches. Here's the predicted lineup that Simone Inzaghi is likely to name; Thomas Strakosha, Stefan Daniel Radu, Stefan de Vrij, Bastos, Senad Lulic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Lucas Leiva, Marco Parolo, Adam Marusic, Luis Alberto and Ciro Immobile.

Full-time Prediction: Bologna 1-4 Lazio