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November 4 2024, 01:53 · Alex Lawes

Bologna vs Monaco Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 UEFA Champions League | League Phase

Bologna vs Monaco Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
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After a frustrating start to the campaign, Bologna have begun to pick up results their performances had perhaps deserved as they now face a Monaco side that are trending in the opposite direction ahead of this week. 

KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Tuesday 5th November, 2024 - UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm

HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised

HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+

BOLOGNA PREVIEW: GROWING BOLOGNA

Over the summer, after finishing fifth and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in over 60 years, Bologna lost manager Thiago Motta to Juventus as well as key players such as Riccardo Calafiori and Joshua Zirkzee to Arsenal and Manchester United respectively. Vincenzo Italiano’s start as the Motta replacement was a slow one.

There were far too many draws in the opening couple of weeks of the campaign but performances steadily improved and the Serie A side now come into this one on the back of back-to-back victories since losing to Aston Villa with them defeating both Cagliari and Lecce, keeping clean sheets in both of those matches in the process.

MONACO PREVIEW: NEED TO HALT THE SLIDE

Former Borussia Monchengladbach boss Adi Hutter has cultivated an entertaining style of football down in the principality of Monaco and the Monagasque are looking like they could launch a genuine Ligue 1 title challenge this season, even going into the October international break sitting at the top-of-the-table.

However, they have collected just one point from three Ligue 1 matches since the break. That has seen them fall off the PSG pace in France and they will need to bounce back with the aid of Europe. They have started their 2024/25 UEFA Champions League league phase by collecting seven points from their opening three matches. 

BOLOGNA TEAM NEWS: RETURN OF FERGUSON

Scotland international Lewis Ferguson has been dealing with an ACL injury for much of this year but he has now finally returned to full fitness and is available for the hosts.

They remain without a few key first-teamers for this weekend, though, with the likes of Martin Erlic, Oussama El Azzouzi, Michel Aebischer and Charalampos Lykogiannis.

PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Ravaglia; De Silvestri, Beukema, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Moro; Orsolini, Odgaard, Ndoye; Castro

UNAVAILABLE: Erlic (Injured), Lykogiannis (Injured), El Azzouzi (Injured), Aebischer (Injured)

QUESTIONABLE: 

MONACO TEAM NEWS: INJURY ISSUES

Monaco have been shuffling the pack a little bit in the last couple of weeks and Hutter will need to find the winning formula quickly with the Monagasque needing to get back on track.

Former Southampton centre-back Mohammed Salisu remains sidelined for the visitors alongside both Edan Diop and United States international striker Folarin Balogun. 

PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Majecki; Diatta, Singo, Kehrer, Henrique; Akliouche, Camara, Golovin, Minamino; Embolo, Ilenikhena

UNAVAILABLE: Salisu (Injured), Diop (Injured), Balogun (Injured)

QUESTIONABLE: 

KEY STATS

  • Bologna have never lost a UEFA competition match at home (P24 W15 D9).
  • All of Bologna’s previous four UEFA competition matches against French opposition were in the 1998/99 UEFA Cup. In the quarter-finals they overcame Lyon 3-2 on aggregate with a 3-0 victory at home followed by a 2-0 defeat in France. In the semi-finals they drew both legs against Marseille but lost on away goals (0-0 a, 1-1 h).
  • Bologna are without a win in their last five UEFA competition matches (D2 L3).
  • Bologna have not scored a goal in their previous three UEFA Champions League matches this season. This is the first time they have not scored in three successive UEFA competition matches.
  • Monaco have lost seven and drawn one of their previous eight UEFA competition matches away from home against Italian teams.
  • Monaco have won only three of their previous 15 UEFA competition matches against Italian teams (D3 L9).
  • Monaco have lost only one of their last seven UEFA competition matches (W4 D2).
  • Monaco have scored a total of 18 goals in their last six UEFA competition matches (an average of three goals per match).
  • Monaco have not kept a clean sheet in their last 23 matches in the UEFA Champions League competition proper. Since a 3-0 home victory against CSKA Moskva in November 2016.
  • Monaco are without a win in their last eight matches away from home in the UEFA Champions League competition proper. Since a 3-2 victory at Dortmund in the quarter-finals in April 2017.

BOLOGNA VS MONACO PREDICTION

Vincenzo Italiano has discussed the fact that the transition from Motta to his methods shouldn’t be too bad because, according to him at least, they are similar coaches with similar identities. Now that form has started to arrive that means they will likely take the game to Monaco this week. Monaco have an abundance of quality in attack and, despite their recent dip in form, will fancy their chances of staying unbeaten in Europe. 

BOLOGNA VS MONACO TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE