MX23RW : Tuesday, November 5 15:26:46| >> :600:3652643:3652643:
[monks data]
Salernitana
Serie A | Gameweek 15
Dec 10, 2023 at 5pm UK
Stadio Arechi
Bologna logo

Salernitana
1 - 2
Bologna

Simy (75')
Coulibaly (26'), Tchaouna (36'), Mazzocchi (39'), Dia (42'), Daniliuc (48'), Gyomber (54'), Kastanos (89')
Fazio (90+2')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Zirkzee (9', 20')
Zirkzee (44'), Urbanski (85'), Skorupski (90+6')

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

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

Rock-bottom Salernitana seek just their second Serie A win of the season on Sunday evening, as they host a Bologna side aiming to crack the top six.

The teams convene at Stadio Arechi with the hosts having lost again last weekend, while their Emilian visitors are still riding high in the standings despite letting two points slip in Lecce.


Match preview

Salernitana players pose for a team group photo before the match on October 1, 2023© Reuters

Having finally posted a first top-flight win of the season - at home to Lazio, in their final fixture of November - Salernitana were brought crashing back down to earth last Sunday, when they were no match for Fiorentina.

Two goals down within 17 minutes at Stadio Artemio Franchi, the Granata ultimately lost 3-0 while managing only a single shot on target; as a result, they remain rooted to the foot of the table with a meagre tally of eight points.

Stretching back to last season, the Campanian club have now lost nine of their last 15 Serie A matches, after having recorded only one defeat in the previous 14, when former boss Paulo Sousa's reign started with great promise.

The wheels came off early this term, though, and Sousa was sacked to make way for current incumbent Pippo Inzaghi. The latter has failed to make a major impact since arriving at the Arechi, and defensive issues remain unresolved.

Salernitana's last clean sheet in the league dates back to mid-May - some 17 games ago - and they have also conceded the second-most goals during the second half of Serie A matches this season. None of which bodes well for Inzaghi as he prepares to meet one of his former clubs.

Bologna coach Thiago Motta on September 24, 2023© Reuters

Bologna had mostly trodden water since Inzaghi's departure back in 2019, but the man now in charge at Stadio Dall'Ara has shown signs of taking them back into Europe after more than two decades away.

A stunning free-kick from set-piece specialist Charalampos Lykogiannis almost earned the Rossoblu three more points last weekend, but even conceding a 100th-minute equaliser to Lecce down at Via del Mare left Thiago Motta's men safely inside the top half of the table.

Although the former Italy midfielder was frustrated by such a late slip, his side have still lost only eight of 37 Serie A matches played in 2023 - no team have been beaten fewer times throughout this calendar year.

As a marker of their progress, with a win this weekend, Bologna would post as many as 25 points from their first 15 matches for the first time since 2002.

However, they will have to write a fresh page in history if they are to topple Salernitana: the Emilians have never won a top-flight fixture at Stadio Arechi in four previous attempts, conceding an average of 2.3 goals per game.

Salernitana Serie A form:


Salernitana form (all competitions):


Bologna Serie A form:


Bologna form (all competitions):



Team News

Filippo Inzaghi pictured in charge of Bologna in December 2018© Reuters

Although first-choice goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa will again be absent due to a shoulder injury, with French veteran Benoit Costil therefore deputising as Salernitana's last line of defence, Pippo Inzaghi should otherwise have a full squad to choose from on Sunday.

Last term's top scorer Boulaye Dia is leading the Granata's goal charts again this season, and the Senegal striker - who found the net in both matches against Bologna in 2022-23 - is set to start up front.

The visitors, meanwhile, are burdened by a much longer injury list, and players including Riccardo Orsolini, Lorenzo De Silvestri, Adama Soumaoro and Swedish winger Jesper Karlsson are all unavailable this weekend.

Doubts remain about Kevin Bonifazi's fitness following a back injury, so Thiago Motta may name an unchanged back four; however, Charalampos Lykogiannis is in contention for a place at left-back.

Sydney van Hooijdonk started as Bologna's central striker in Lecce, but Joshua Zirkzee should now replace his fellow Dutchman after being restricted to a cameo appearance last week.


Salernitana possible starting lineup:
Costil; Daniliuc, Fazio, Pirola; Mazzocchi, Coulibaly, Bohinen, Bradaric; Candreva, Kastanos; Dia

Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Posch, Lucumi, Calafiori, Lykogiannis; Freuler, Aebischer; Ndoye, Ferguson, Saelemaekers; Zirkzee


SM words green background

We say: Salernitana 1-1 Bologna

All three of Salernitana's wins in league and cup this season have come at Stadio Arechi, while Bologna are yet to taste success on the road. Despite the disparity between them in the table, a fourth straight draw in this fixture could therefore be on the cards.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 2.5 goals 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.Under 2.5:data


ID:530927:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect13332:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: Salernitana vs Bologna

Salernitana
10.0%
Draw
26.7%
Bologna
63.3%
30
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Bologna's Lewis Ferguson celebrates scoring their first goal with Nikola Moro on May 28, 2023
Read Next:
Fulham, Nottingham Forest keen on Bologna's Lewis Ferguson?
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Pisa1283122111127
2SassuoloSassuolo1274124121225
3SpeziaSpezia12660168824
4Cesena125342018218
5Cremonese125341816218
6Juve StabiaJuve Stabia124531313017
7Brescia125251617-117
8Palermo124441210216
9Sampdoria124351615115
10BariBari122821311214
11CatanzaroCatanzaro12282119214
12Reggiana123451113-213
13Carrarese123451113-213
14Salernitana123451316-313
15Mantova123451115-413
16SudtirolSudtirol124171419-513
17Cittadella12336617-1112
18Cosenza CalcioCosenza123631011-111
19Modena122551619-311
20FrosinoneFrosinone12165717-109


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!