Bologna vs Spezia prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2023-01-26 17:30.
Bologna had certainly hoped for a solid start to 2023, or at least one stronger than their sole win in five competitive matches (D1, L3), but a Rossoblù side decimated by injuries failed to beat a still winless Cremonese in their last Serie A (SA) outing (1-1). A run of five wins in six matches prior to the end of 2022 is a distant memory now, with their current run contributing to Bologna finding themselves four points worse off than last season at this stage, although it’s not all doom and gloom as they sit 11 points ahead of the last relegation place.
If Bologna want to maintain their mid-table position and even make an unlikely bid for a European place, coach Thiago Motta will need his side to get back to winning ways at home where they have picked up 16 of their 23 points so far this term (W4, D4, L2). That record has largely been built on strong starts, with Bologna trailing at half-time just once in those ten home league games (HT: W4, D5).
Back-to-back competitive defeats against Atalanta and Roma respectively saw Spezia concede seven goals, three more than they had conceded in their five-game unbeaten SA streak preceding that pair of losses. With their cushion to the relegation zone now sitting at an uncomfortable six points, the Ligurian side will be hoping for a reaction against their former coach, who led them to safety last season despite collecting two points less at this stage.
The visitors have recently sought solace on the road, winning their last two away league matches after starting this season with seven successive away defeats! There’s no guarantee that run continues here though as Bologna hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Spezia who have lost both SA meetings here, conceding six times in the process.
Players to watch: Returning to the fore after an injury lay-off, Marko Arnautović has scored each of Bologna’s last five goals against Spezia, with three arriving beyond the hour mark. With all three of Daniele Verde’s goals this season arriving in the Coppa Italia, he seeks his first league strike having scored his side’s second goal of the game in each of those scoring appearances.
Hot stat: No SA side has conceded more goals from penalties this season than Bologna’s five.