Bologna vs Lecce Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 Italian Serie A
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
After a frustrating and disappointing start to the 2024/25 season, it does appear as though Bologna are beginning to turn things around and hit some good form as they now face a struggling Lecce side that may also be buoyant ahead of this one.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 2nd November, 2024 - UK – 2:00pm / US ET – 10:00am / US PT – 7:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – Select matches will be televised on CBS Sports so it is worth checking their schedule
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – OneFootball / US – Paramount+
BOLOGNA PREVIEW: BOLOGNA ON THE PUSH
Over the summer, Thiago Motta left Bologna after they finished fifth and qualified for the UEFA Champions League with both Riccardo Calafiori and Joshua Zirkzee departing for Arsenal and Manchester United respectively. The hosts replaced him with former Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Italiano, intent on playing a similarly progressive style of football.
They had started the campaign with just one win and one defeat with six draws in their opening eight matches, whilst also failing to win any of their first three UEFA Champions League outings, but performances have improved and they come into this one having defeated Cagliari by two goals to nil in Sardinia in midweek.
LECCE PREVIEW: STRUGGLING LECCE
Luca Gotti was under immense pressure ahead of Lecce’s midweek bottom-of-the-table clash and relegation six pointer with Hellas Verona down in Apulia and there were suggestions that he would actually be sacked if Lecce were beaten in that game but they managed to earn their second victory of the campaign instead.
The hosts took advantage of Junior Tchatchoua being sent off for Verona in the 40th minute by taking the lead in the 51st minute via Patrick Dorgu. They then held on to the lead against a Verona side that were down to nine men with less than ten minutes of the game to go due to a red card picked up by Reda Belahyane.
BOLOGNA TEAM NEWS: INJURY ISSUES
Scotland international Lewis Ferguson has been easing his way back to full fitness and is now pretty much there after missing a lot of this calendar year due to an ACL injury.
They do still have Martin Erlic out injured for Bologna alongside Charalampos Lykogiannis and Michel Aebischer with Oussama El Azzouzi also a doubt for this one.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Skorupski; De Silvestri, Beukema, Jhon Lucumi, Juan Miranda; Moro, Freuler; Orsolini, Odgaard, Ndoye; Castro
UNAVAILABLE: Erlic (Injured), Lykogiannis (Injured), Aebischer (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: El Azzouzi (Injured)
LECCE TEAM NEWS: SEVERAL CONCERNS
The visitors are dealing with several injury issues for their trip to Bologna as they are without defensive duo Filip Marchwinski and full-back Luis Hasa.
As well as those defensive absentees, Lecce also have a few injury concerns in attack with the absences of Medon Berisha and Kevin Bonifazi for this weekend.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Falcone; Guilbert, Gaspar, Baschirotto, Gallo; Coulibaly, Ramadani, Rafia; Dorgu, Krstovic, Banda
UNAVAILABLE: Marchwinski (Injured), Hasa (Injured), Berisha (Injured), Bonifazi (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
BOLOGNA VS LECCE PREDICTION
It has turned into a steady start to the season for Bologna but they have still only managed two victories in their 12 matches across all competitions so far this season. They have been much-improved of late, though. They now face a Lecce side that have managed to score just four goals in their ten matches so far this season and that has seen them really struggle throughout the campaign. Bologna are expected to win this one quite comfortably, especially with their home advantage.
BOLOGNA VS LECCE TIP: BOLOGNA TO WIN TO NIL
