Bologna could be leapfrogged by Torino in the Serie A table when both sides face off in Monday's gameweek 13 clash at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.
Thiago Motta's men were finally defeated before the international break, while the Turin outfit's mini-revival continued at Monza.
Match preview
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After an impressive run for Bologna, a 2-1 loss at Fiorentina ended the Rossoblu's undefeated run in Serie A that began in August.
Motta's troops had not been beaten since the opening gameweek against AC Milan and looked to extend that undefeated sequence in Florence but came unstuck.
The Emilia-Romagna outfit are keen to return to winning ways on their turf and have reason to be positive owing to an outstanding sequence of results in front of their supporters that has seen them secure 13 points from an available 15.
With clean sheets coming at home — Bologna have kept three of their four opponents out — the side with the division's fourth-best return as hosts should be confident heading into Monday's game.
Having had two weeks to stew over the Fiorentina loss, Motta will hope his team are raring to go again against in-form visitors.
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Torino are in high spirits after overcoming a slow start to 2023-24 under Ivan Juric, securing seven points from nine in the competition.
That continued before the hiatus, with the Bull securing a 1-1 draw at Monza to follow wins over Lecce (1-0) and Sassuolo (2-1).
Juric's men are up to four league wins in Serie A this term, level with Bologna, and they could overtake their opponents by picking up maximum points in Monday's encounter.
With two undefeated road games in recent rounds and two victories in five away fixtures, the joint-seventh-best away team in the competition could aim for another positive result in Emilia-Romagna.
However, Torino are winless in Bologna since April 2016, a negative record that needs to change if they hope to fulfil this round's ambition to leapfrog the hosts.
Team News
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Riccardo Orsolini is not expected back from his hamstring injury until next month, while Jesper Karlsson (knee) and Adama Soumaoro (ACL) are not anticipated to participate.
Motta will hope Lewis Ferguson and Joshua Zirkzee are in top form as Bologna seek to extend their undefeated home run against Torino to seven.
Perr Schuurs is sidelined for the remainder of the season, with the Torino defender out with an ACL injury, while Samuele Ricci (thigh) is absent until December.
Karol Linetty (muscle) and Koffi Djidji (hernia) are touch-and-go for Monday's fixture.
Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Posch, Beukema, Calafiori, Lykogiannis; Aebischer, Freuler; Ndoye, Ferguson, Saelemaekers; Zirkzee
Torino possible starting lineup:
Milinkovic-Savic; Tameze, Buongiorno, Rodriguez; Bellanova, Gineitis, Ilic, Lazaro; Vlasic; Zapata, Sanabria
We say: Bologna 2-1 Torino
Bologna are predicted to eke out a victory against Torino to extend their unbeaten home run against the away side.
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