Lazio and Bologna will meet in the Serie A for the first time in the 2024-25 campaign at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday night.
As of the time of writing, Lazio have garnered 25 points from 12 games and they sit in 5th position on the Serie A log. Bologna are 8th on the log with 18 points from the same number of matches.
Lazio started the season with a 3-1 defeat of Venezia at home before losing 2-1 to Udinese in the second game of the season. Le Aquilotti then drew 2-2 with Milan in the following game of the season. Lazio returned to winning ways on match day four with a 2-1 win over Verona at Stadio Olimpico. Boulaye Dia and Taty Castellanos scored for them in the win. However, a second loss of the Serie A season was handed to them by Fiorentina in the next game.
In Europe, Lazio began their Europa League sojourn with a comprehensive 3-0 drubbing of Dynamo Kyiv. Dia scored either side of Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s exquisite finish in Hamburg. Back in Serie A, Lazio fought hard to beat Torino 3-2 before another 4-1 win over Nice in the Europa League kept their 100% record intact in Europe.
By the time they beat Empoli 2-1 in their next Serie A game, it took their winning streak to four games. However, Juventus stopped them by inflicting a 1-0 defeat on them. From that moment on, Lazio are currently on a winning run of six games. In Europe, they beat Twente and FC Porto to maintain their 100% record in the competition. The Eagles beat Genoa, Como, Cagliari, and Monza in the Serie A.
As for Bologna, they have been decent in the new season under new management. Vincenzo Italiano became the club’s new manager, replacing Thiago Motta who left for Juventus.
The season got underway with a series of draws in their opening four games in the Serie A. Bologna drew Udinese and Empoli at home, Como away from home, and 3-0 defeat at the hands of Napoli on match day two.
The draw syndrome followed them to the UEFA Champions League where they were making their debut as they drew goalless with Shakhtar. After that time, Bologna eventually claimed their first win of the new Serie A season. Kacper Urbanski and Santiago Castro scored in the 2-1 win over Monza.
The draws soon returned as they faced Atalanta, Parma, and Genoa in their next three league games. In the Champions League, they lost both games to Liverpool and Aston Villa away from home and the one against Monaco at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.
Bologna then secured back-to-back wins in the league for the first time. They first defeated Cagliari 2-0 away from home. Riccardo Orsolini and Jens Odgaard scored for Italiano’s side. The win was backed up by a nervy 1-0 win over Lecce. Orsolini struck late in the game to secure crucial three points in front of the home support. The third win in a row came in the game before the international break against troubled AS Roma. Castro, Orsolini, and Jesper Karlsson scored in the big win and they now make a return to the capital.
Bologna won this particular fixture last season but it was during the dark times for Lazio. The home side are in an imperious form coming into this one and the stakes are quite high. Bar that shock win last term, Lazio won the previous four. It promises to be an exciting fixture.
Meanwhile, in their past 35 meetings since 2003, Lazio have won 18 times, Bologna have won 8 times, and 9 ended in a draw.
Match tickets
The epic match at Stadio Olimpico in Rome will kick off at 19:45 GMT on Sunday, November 24th, 2024.
The 72,698-capacity stadium will host this league game between Lazio and Bologna.
Getting Lazio v Bologna tickets could take a lot of work given the standard of this game. Hence, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expectedly sold out on each club’s channels.
Team news
Line-ups
New man at the helm of affairs on the other side of the capital, Marco Baroni, has been able to galvanize a side that is difficult to beat and challenging for the Serie A title. Goalkeeper Ovan Provedel remains the number one choice. In the backline, Alessio Romagnoli and Adam Marusic have been consistent, while former Arsenal man Nuno Tavares has been key with his attacking forays all season.
At the time of writing, Gaetano Castrovilli is the only injured player expected to miss this game.
Lazio XI: Ivan Provedel; Adam Marusic, Mario Gila Fuentes, Alessio Romagnoli, Nuno Tavares; Matteo Guendouzi, Nicolo Rovella, Matias Vecino; Mattia Zaccagni, Boulaye Dia, Pedro.
Bologna have not been on the levels they operated last season in the Serie A but they have not done badly. Vincenzo Italiano has done a fine job of keeping the side competitive. Lukasz Shorupski should retain his place in goal, while talisman Riccardo Orsolini is expected to do his magic on the wings once again. Nicolò Cambiaghi is out until the new year, while Michel Aebischer and Oussama El Azzouzi are expected to return in December.
Bologna XI: Lukasz Shorupski; Lorenzo De Silvestri, Sam Beukema, Jhon Lucumi, Juan Miranda; Remo Freuler, Tommaso Pobega; Riccardo Orsolini, Jens Odgaard, Dan Ndoye; Santiago Castro.
Prediction
Lazio have been impressive this season and they are one of the sides currently in contention for the Scudetto. With just a point behind the top spot, Le Aquilotti will be motivated to go all out for a win against one of the best sides in the league last season. By the way, get your Lazio tickets early enough to catch the game.
On the other hand, Bologna are not pushovers and they are expected to challenge any opposition they face in the league this season. The Rossoblù have lost just once on the road in the Serie A and that could be the motivation for them going back to the capital after the win over Roma last time out.
Lazio 3-1 Bologna
