Bologna vs AS Roma prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2023-05-13 16:00.
It’s been a relatively successful campaign for Bologna, who are now looking to secure just a second top-half finish in Serie A (SA) since returning to the top-flight in 2015. They’re embroiled in a tight battle between clubs stranded in mid-table, with just two points separating eighth and 13th ahead of the round, although Thiago Motta’s men only have themselves to blame for being part of that crowd after a five-match winless run (D3, L2).
The Rossoblù are at least unbeaten in five matches on their own turf (W2, D3), and their positive home record this term has been built on a strong defence that’s conceded just 12 goals at home, a record only Inter can beat. That’s a return visiting Roma boss José Mourinho would be proud of, as Motta goes up against the manager he won the treble under in 2010 for the second time this season.
Mourinho is getting used to seeing his former players in the opposition dugout, as Roma head into this game after a 1-0 win over Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Europa League in midweek. With this clash against Bologna falling between those semi-final ties, perhaps the Giallorossi’s priorities have shifted to Europe after a four-match winless run in SA (D2, L2).
Roma now sit outside the top-six ahead of this round, and with seventh currently not guaranteed to be enough to qualify for Europe, Mourinho’s men could do with some improvement. That’s especially true on the road where the Giallorossi have won just one of their last ten away matches in all competitions (D3, L6), whilst they’ve also conceded 21 of their 33 SA goals away from the Stadio Olimpico.
Players to watch: Bologna’s Riccardo Orsolini has been in good form of late, and he’s seen all of his last eight goals arrive inside the first 15 minutes or beyond the 75th minute. Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini will be looking to directly contribute to a goal for a third successive personal away H2H, and he also bagged the winner in this season’s reverse fixture.
Hot stat: Bologna have conceded just four first-half SA goals on home soil this season – the best total in the division.