Bologna vs Fiorentina

Fifth-placed Bologna will be looking to strengthen their top-four push against fellow European qualification rivals Fiorentina at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara in midweek Serie A action.

Starting with this rescheduled fixture against Fiorentina, Bologna’s European credentials will face a challenging period, with four of their next five league matches coming against current top-eight Serie A clubs. They’ll at least enter this sequence in high spirits after beating Sassuolo and Lecce 4-2 and 4-0, respectively. Stadio Renato Dall’Ara has been a textbook definition of a fortress this season, with ‘I Gialloblu’ racking up nine wins in their first 12 top-flight home outings for the first time since 1972/73. On top of that, Thiago Motta’s men are unbeaten in their last 11 home league games (W9, D2), which puts them in a perfect position to avenge a 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture and a heartbreaking Coppa Italia quarter-final exit on penalties.

On the other hand, Fiorentina put newly-promoted Frosinone to the sword at the weekend, running out 5-1 victors at home to arrest an underwhelming four-game winless Serie A streak (D1, L3). Commencing this round one point adrift of sixth-placed Roma, Vincenzo Italiano’s men can reclaim the last European qualification spot if only they can defy a disappointing run of four defeats across their last six Serie A travels (W1, D1). But Renato Dall’Ara hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for ‘La Viola’ in recent years as they’ve emerged victorious from just one of their last five league visits to this venue (D3, L1), conceding at least two goals in each of the most recent three.