Serie A | Gameweek 27

Mar 2, 2025 at 2pm UK

Stadio Renato Dall'Ara

Bologna vs Cagliari

Match preview

Goals from Santiago Castro and Dan Ndoye on Thursday night saw Bologna end a nine-year wait to beat Milan in Serie A - the Rossoblu's last success over the Rossoneri was a 1-0 triumph at San Siro in January 2016 - and boost their European qualification prospects.

Italiano's men also ended a 23-year wait for maximum points against the Italian giants on home soil with that victory, and the triumph means the Red and Blues go into Sunday's clash with Cagliari in sixth place, the final continental spot that guarantees qualification for the Conference League play-off round.

Italiano's men will be looking for a fifth successive home win this weekend, adding to league victories over Monza (3-1), Como (2-0), Torino (3-2) and Milan (2-1), as they look to record five home wins on the bounce for the first time in Serie A since 2023, when they won six straight between October and December.

While a point will guarantee the Emilians sixth place - they are two points clear of seventh-placed Fiorentina and have the head-to-head advantage following their 1-0 triumph over the Viola in December - the Rossoblu could close the five-point gap on fourth-placed Juventus and fifth-placed Lazio, with the Bianconeri hosting Hellas Verona on Monday and the capital club travelling to Milan.

Having picked up 13 points from 15 on home soil in 2025 and 16 overall since the turn of the year - only Roma (20), Juventus (17) and Inter (17) have more - the Dall'Ara faithful will be backing their team to inflict more away misery on their opponents on Sunday.

Cagliari's struggles on the road this term, highlighted by two wins from 12 away games, mean that they will be expected to do just that when they travel to Emilia-Romagna this weekend.

Davide Nicola's men have picked up 10 points on the road, level with newly promoted Como but behind only Parma (eight), Monza (seven) and Venezia (four), underlining their inability to string together positive results outside of Sardinia.

With 40 per cent of their points coming on the road, Gli Isolani may need to improve their performances and results away from the Unipol Domus if they are to secure top-flight safety this term.

Although the Islanders are not in immediate danger, especially considering 18th-placed Empoli's four-game losing streak, just four points separate Nicola's men in 15th from the dreaded drop zone, with Lecce level on 25 points and Parma two behind in 17th.

Bologna's winless run in Serie A since 2010 will do little to inspire confidence among their travelling support, who travel to Emilia-Romagna knowing that they have lost eight of their last 11 visits to this weekend's hosts, including the last three.

Recent Performance

Bologna Serie A form:DWDWLW

Bologna form (all competitions):WWDWLW

Cagliari Serie A form:WLLWDL

Team News

Bologna had no fresh injury problems against Milan, with Emil Holm and Estanis Pedrola the only players unavailable for selection.

Ndoye's match-winning strike against the Rossoneri, his second of the season, drew him level with teammates Riccardo Orsolini and Jens Odgaard, and the six-goal Switzerland international will be looking for more decisive contributions against struggling opponents.

Castro, who scored the equaliser in Thursday's win over Milan, has now scored seven league goals, level with Orsolini, and the striker will be looking to add to his tally this weekend.

Cagliari will be without Giuseppe Ciocci and Kingstone Mutandwa for their Round of 27 clash, but both players will be assessed before Sunday's game.

Although Roberto Piccoli has scored just six league goals this term, three of those have been match-winners, with only Inter's Romelu Lukaku (five), Genoa's Andrea Pinamonti, Torino's Che Adams, Atalanta's Mateo Retegui and Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez (all four) beating him.

Possible starting lineup

Bologna possible starting lineup:

Skorupski; Calabria, Beukema, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Moro; Orsolini, Pobega, Ndoye; Castro

Cagliari possible starting lineup:

Caprile; Zappa, Mina, Luperto, Augello; Zortea, Adopo, Makoumbou, Deiola, Felici; Piccoli