Preview: Bologna vs Lazio - prediction, team news, lineups

Continuing their defence of the Coppa Italia, Bologna will play host to Lazio on Wednesday, when the pair clash in this season's last quarter-final.

Separated by just three points in Serie A, they are set to meet at Stadio Dall'Ara, with a final-four tie against Atalanta BC awaiting the winner.

Match preview

Much has changed since Bologna ended their 51-year wait for a trophy by beating AC Milan and lifting the Coppa Italia last season.

After making a bright start to their 2025-26 campaign, the Rossoblu have recently plummeted down the Serie A standings, claiming just six points from their last dozen league matches.

That decline started in early December, around the time Vincenzo Italiano's side began their Coppa defence with a late 2-1 win over regional rivals Parma.

Two months on, Bologna's nosedive continued last week, when they hosted the same opponents in a Serie A clash at Stadio Dall'Ara.

Though Tommaso Pobega was sent off midway through the first half, they even came close to stealing an against-the-odds victory, only to be denied by Parma's inspired goalkeeper.

Summing up Italiano's lack of luck, the visitors - who had also been reduced to 10 men - then snatched a 1-0 win with almost the last kick of a tense Emilian derby.

So, having suffered four consecutive league losses at the Dall’Ara for just the third time, Bologna are under pressure to produce an overdue win in front of their fans.

They will, at least, have recent history on their side: after a 1-1 away draw in December, the Rossoblu have won three of their last five league meetings with Lazio - including a 5-0 home victory last season.

© Imago

In search of an eighth Coppa Italia success, Lazio arrived at this stage of the competition by beating Milan in the last 16.

Just days after the Biancocelesti had lost a league clash between the pair at San Siro, they took swift revenge, with captain Mattia Zaccagni scoring the only goal in Rome.

Maurizio Sarri's men - who sit eighth in Serie A, three points above Bologna - have since been beset by inconsistency and may miss out on Europe for a second straight season.

In recent weeks, they have been beaten 3-0 by Como, drawn 0-0 with relegation-threatened Lecce, and seen Danilo Cataldi’s 100th-minute penalty decide a dramatic 3-2 win over Genoa.

Last time out, Lazio almost did their first league double over Juventus since 1943, as Pedro put them in front just before half time and Gustav Isaksen scored straight after the break.

However, despite the best efforts of goalkeeper Ivan Provedel, the capital club eventually folded, as Juve's huge tally of 32 shots was ultimately rewarded with a late 2-2 draw.

Ahead of Wednesday's trip to Emilia Romagna, that result continued a weak away record: eight goals from 12 matches, with just three wins on their travels so far.

Bologna Coppa Italia form:

W

Bologna form (all competitions):

L D L W L L

Lazio Coppa Italia form:

W

Lazio form (all competitions):

D W L D W D

Team News

© Imago

While defending the cup may be a matter of honour, Bologna face a packed schedule in both Serie A and the Europa League, where they will soon meet SK Brann in the knockout playoffs.

So, amid talk of his imminent dismissal, Italiano is set to make changes, meaning starts for several men who were benched on Sunday.

Only reserve full-backs Charalampos Lykogiannis and Lorenzo De Silvestri are ruled out, giving the hosts' under-fire coach plenty of options to choose from.

Thijs Dallinga and Santiago Castro will fight it out to start up front: both missed big chances on Sunday, while the latter has scored just once on home soil this season.

Lazio's attack could be led by Daniel Maldini, who has featured as a false nine since arriving on loan from Atalanta BC, or fellow new boy Petar Ratkov.

The visitors' injury list is headlined by Zaccagni, while Samuel Gigot and Manuel Lazzari will also miss out; left-back Luca Pellegrini returns after serving a one-match ban, but Nuno Tavares performed well in his absence.

After Sunday's draw with his old club Juventus, Sarri suggested Toma Basic had picked up a muscular injury, so that leaves the midfielder's presence in some doubt.

Bologna possible starting lineup:

Ravaglia; Zortea, Casale, Heggem, Miranda; Freuler, Ferguson; Orsolini, Odgaard, Rowe; Castro

Lazio possible starting lineup:

Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Dele-Bashiru, Cataldi, Taylor; Cancellieri, Maldini, Isaksen 

We say: Bologna 0-1 Lazio 

Bologna's recent lack of fortune - and declining confidence - will see the hosts approach this tie with some trepidation. 

While Lazio have hardly fared much better, Sarri keeps producing results with a limited squad, so his hit-and-miss team may just sneak through.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.