MX23RW : Monday, February 1 10:13:14| >> :600:326820:326820:
Jan 3, 2021 at 2pm UK at Stadio Artemio Franchi
FiorentinaFiorentina
0-0
BolognaBologna

Julio (8'), Pezzella (71'), Bonaventura (90+2'), Kouame (90+4')
FT

De Silvestri (4'), Schouten (28'), Dominguez (58')

Preview: Fiorentina vs. Bologna - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Serie A clash between Fiorentina and Bologna, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Fiorentina will be aiming to leapfrog Bologna in the Serie A table when the two sides meet on Sunday afternoon.

La Viola are currently in 14th place, having earned a shock 3-0 win over Juventus before Christmas, while I Rossoblu are a point better off in 13th.


Match preview

Franck Ribery in action for Fiorentina in September 2020© Reuters

Efforts from Dusan Vlahovic and Martin Caceres, plus an Alex Sandro own goal, sealed a famous Fiorentina victory in Turin and condemned Juve to their first Serie A defeat of the season.

The result was even more remarkable as it brought to an end an eight-game winless run for La Viola, who before the match had not won in the league or even kept a clean sheet under Giuseppe Iachini's replacement Cesare Prandelli.

Prandelli, in his second spell in charge, will hope that the victory gives his side the confidence to kick on and move further up the table as they are still only four points above the relegation zone.

Fiorentina have drawn 1-1 in each of their last three games at Stadio Artemio Franchi and have struggled to find a cutting edge – only Udinese and Parma have scored fewer goals at home this season.

However, they did win this fixture 4-0 last season and are unbeaten in their last 12 games against Bologna, who have not won in Florence since 2010.

Bologna manager Sinisa Mihajlovic pictured in July 2020© Reuters

I Rossoblu's away record this season is poor too, winning just one of seven games and only Crotone have picked up fewer points on their travels.

Sinisa Mihajlovic's side came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at home against Atalanta in their last match as defensive pair Takehiro Tomiyasu and Nehuen Paz scored in the final 20 minutes to earn a point.

It was their third successive draw and fifth game in a row without a win, meaning defeat on Sunday could leave them looking nervously over their shoulders at the teams below them.

While scoring goals is not a particular problem for Bologna as they have netted in 10 of their last 11 games, their defensive record must improve – one clean sheet all season is the joint-lowest number in Serie A.

Fiorentina Serie A form: LDLDDW

Bologna Serie A form: WLLDDD


Team News

Cesare Prandelli, now in charge of Fiorentina, pictured in April 2019© Reuters

Prandelli may look to minimise the number of changes to Fiorentina's team after beating Juventus, but Giacomo Bonaventura could return to the starting lineup in place of Borja Valero.

Cristiano Biraghi picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in Turin so is suspended for Sunday's game, with Antonio Barreca or Lorenzo Venuti likely to replace him at left wing-back.

Bologna winger Riccardo Orsolini made his return from injury as a substitute against Atalanta and grabbed an assist so is likely to start.

Lorenzo De Silvestri's return to fitness could lead to a shake-up in defence, with the 32-year-old slotting in at right-back, moving Tomiyasu to the centre and dropping Gary Medel to the bench.

Aaron Hickey, Federico Ravaglia and Andreas Skov Olsen are all back in contention after time on the sidelines, with Hickey the most likely to go straight into the starting lineup at left-back.

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
Dragowski; Milenkovic, Pezzella, Igor; Caceres, Amrabat, Bonaventura, Castrovilli, Barreca; Vlahovic, Ribery

Bologna possible starting lineup:
Da Costa; De Silvestri, Danilo, Tomiyasu, Hickey; Schouten, Svanberg; Orsolini, Soriano, Barrow; Palacio


SM words green background

We say: Fiorentina 2-1 Bologna

Fiorentina will take great confidence from their victory over Juventus and will feel they can make it two wins in a row against a defensively vulnerable Bologna side, who are out of form and struggle to take control of games.


Top betting tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting a double chance bet on a home win or an away win in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Home/Away:data


ID:428790:cQx

How you voted: Fiorentina vs Bologna

Fiorentina
71.0%
Draw
21.0%
Bologna
8.1%
62
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Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1AC Milan20144241231846
2Inter Milan20135249232644
3Roma20124444331140
4Juventus19116239182139
5Lazio2011453527837
6Napoli19121643192437
7Atalanta BCAtalanta20106445261936
8SassuoloSassuolo208753330331
9Hellas VeronaHellas Verona208662621530
10Sampdoria2082103031-126
11BeneventoBenevento2064102340-1722
12Fiorentina205782131-1022
13Udinese205692128-721
14Genoa205692230-821
15Bologna2055102535-1020
16SpeziaSpezia2046102637-1118
17CagliariCagliari2036112438-1415
18Torino202992938-915
19Parma2027111438-2413
20Crotone2033142246-2412

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