Serie A | Gameweek 11

Nov 2, 2024 at 2pm UK

Stadio Renato Dall'Ara

Bologna vs Lecce

Match preview

With just one win in 11 games since taking over at Bologna, Vincenzo Italiano was desperate to get his side back on track against Serie A strugglers Cagliari on Tuesday night.

The Rossoblu's previous match against AC Milan had been postponed due to flooding in the Emilia-Romagna region, giving Italiano a full week to prepare his team, who have also been struggling in the Champions League.

A goal either side of half-time earned Bologna their second win of the campaign in all competitions, as Riccardo Orsolini and Jens Odgaard struck in Sardinia to move into the top half of the standings.

They have now scored twice in four consecutive top-flight away games for the first time in 20 years, but Italiano's men have yet to replicate that form at the Dall'Ara.

As well as sharing the spoils with Shakhtar Donetsk, Bologna have drawn all four of their Serie A home games to date, while a total of six league draws means they are level with Juventus as Italy's single-point specialists.

While Bologna had to wait several weeks for a win before overcoming Cagliari in midweek, Lecce's last victory came in August.

Having also waited 442 minutes for a goal, Luca Gotti's side finally overcame their nine-man opponents on Tuesday night, ending a run of four consecutive defeats in which they had conceded 11 goals without scoring.

In-demand winger Patrick Dorgu was the decisive figure at the Stadio Via del Mare, where he had a goal disallowed before going on to make his mark.

The Danish star played a key role in Verona's downfall to 10 men, drawing a foul from Jackson Tchatchoua before heading home what proved to be the winner - initially ruled out for offside, his crucial strike was eventually given the green light by the VAR.

The Salentini, who sit second from bottom in Serie A, remain a threat and while Gotti will be pleased to have kept a rare clean sheet, he is well aware of Lecce's most glaring weakness: they have only scored four times in all competitions.

Recent Performance

Bologna Serie A form:DWDDDW

Bologna form (all competitions):DLDDLW

Lecce Serie A form:DLLLLW

Lecce form (all competitions):LLLLLW

Team News

Known for his frequent changes of personnel, Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano is likely to tinker with a winning team, especially with big games against Monaco and Roma coming up next week.

He will once again have to decide who will lead the line up front, with teenage striker Santiago Castro generally preferred to Dutch striker Thijs Dallinga as the Rossoblu's attacking spearhead.

Nikolo Moro and Tommaso Pobega are the main candidates to replace the injured Michel Aebischer in the coming months after the Swiss midfielder underwent groin surgery, while Martin Erlic, Oussama El Azzouzi and Nicolo Cambiaghi are also sidelined.

Lecce, meanwhile, will be without Medon Berisha, Filip Marchwinski and Bologna loanee Kevin Bonifazi due to injury.

Patrick Dorgu and Montenegrin striker Nikola Krstovic have both scored two league goals so far this season, and between them they have accounted for all of the Giallorossi's Serie A goals.

Possible starting lineups

Bologna possible starting lineup:

Ravaglia; Posch, Beukema, Casale, Miranda; Freuler, Pobega; Orsolini, Fabbian, Ndoye; Castro

Lecce possible starting lineup:

Falcone; Guilbert, Gaspar, Baschirotto, Gallo; Coulibaly, Ramadani, Rafia; Dorgu, Krstovic, Banda