Bologna vs Genoa Prediction: Rossoblu to bounce back from disaster in Udine

A 3-0 defeat to Udinese on the final matchday of 2023 ended Bologna's five-game unbeaten run in Serie A, but I Rossoblu still start the new year fifth and with plenty of optimism as the club reaches the halfway point of the season with a home clash against Genoa on Friday evening (KO, 19:45).

Bologna's record at Stadio Renatio Dall'Ara has been nothing short of outstanding this term, with only Juventus (23) picking up more points from their first nine home games than Thiago Motta's side (22).

In fact, Bologna go into Friday searching for a seventh consecutive victory at home - an ominous statistic for Genoa, who have collected just seven points on the road, though three of them did come in their last away match at Sassuolo.

Team News

Adama Soumaoro has missed the entire season so far for Bologna, and he could be joined on the sideline by both Jesper Karlsson and Dan Ndoye for this one. Karlsson has been out since November and has been training separately this week, while Ndoye has undergone treatment following an injury suffered in Bologna's penultimate game of 2023 against Atalanta, which forced him to miss the defeat in Udine.

The biggest blow for Bologna comes in the form of Lewis Ferguson's suspension, though, after the Scotland international picked up his fifth yellow card of the campaign against I Bianconeri. Motta could turn to Riccardo Orsolini to replace the influential 24-year-old in midfield.

The visitors may be reluctant to change things after an impressive three-game unbeaten run which saw a 2-1 win over Sassuolo sandwiched by home draws against Juventus and Inter.

The goalscorer in their most recent game against Inter, however - Romanian defender Radu Dragusin - is the subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur, so it remains to be seen whether he will still be available for selection by the time Friday night rolls around.

Match Odds

Bologna are 21/20 to maintain their winning run at home, with the draw priced at 2/1 and a Genoa victory at 16/5.

Both teams have scored in 10 of Genoa's 18 games in Serie A this season - only three clubs have witnessed it more - and it's 6/5 for it to occur for an eleventh time.

Bologna to win and under 3.5 goals @ 11/8

Friday will be Bologna's first league game of the season without Ferguson, who has scored four and registered two assists for Motta's side in Serie A, so they're not in ideal shape to rebound from last Saturday's horror show against Udinese, particularly given Genoa's form of late.

However, there is uncertainty within the Genoa ranks, too, with Dragusin potentially on his way to North London. The 21-year-old has been a monumental figure for Genoa this season, and his loss would be keenly felt.

It was a bad day at the office for Bologna last week, but that should be all it is as they return to the comforts of their home surroundings. Genoa's last away day saw them emerge as victors in Reggio Emilia, but Sassuolo have the third-worst home record in the division for a reason, and a win there isn't enough to back Genoa in one of the toughest venues.

A Bologna win looks like the smart play, and there shouldn't be bundles of goals, either. Only two stadiums in Serie A - Stadio Olimpico di Torino (Torino - 15) and Brianteo (Monza - 16) - have witnessed fewer goals this season than Stadio Renatio Dall'Ara (17), with Bologna only conceding four goals at home in nine games, and all of them have finished with three goals or fewer (six of them with two goals or fewer).

Bologna to win to nil @ 9/5

Motta's men have kept seven clean sheets at home this season - six of them in the league - and their last five games in all competitions at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara have seen them win to nil.

Genoa, meanwhile, have only scored seven times in nine away league matches, failing to score in four of them, and Lazio (9th) are the only side currently in the top-half who have conceded at home to them.

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