Preview: Bologna vs. Lecce - prediction, team news, lineups

Struggling Lecce travel to Bologna’s Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on Sunday, looking to end a 15-year wait for Serie A success against the Rossoblu.

However, the 18th-placed visitors, who have the third-worst away record, must show a different version of the side that enter this weekend’s 32nd round on a three-match losing streak in the top flight.

Match preview

When Lecce defeated Cremonese 2-1 in gameweek 28 to move outside the bottom three, fans of the Salentini may have hoped for a turnaround in results.

That victory has been nothing but a false dawn for Eusebio Di Francesco’s men, who have since fallen to three consecutive losses in Serie A, the latest of which was a 3-0 thrashing by Atalanta BC.

Still, the division’s lowest scorers (21 goals) are not in a fatal position in the table, as they enter this weekend’s round level on 27 points with 17th-placed Cremonese, who face Cagliari in a relegation six-pointer on Saturday.

Already aware of that match’s outcome by the time they take to the pitch the following day, Lecce could leave the bottom three on Sunday if the two teams directly above them draw or Cagliari win.

However, they must end a 10-match winless streak against this weekend’s hosts, whom they last defeated in a Serie A game way back in 2011, and snap a three-match losing sequence away from home.

While Bologna have bested Lecce in the Wolves’ last four visits to Emilia-Romagna by an aggregate score of 10-2, the Rossoblu’s European exertions may offer Lupi hope.

Vincenzo Italiano’s men suffered a third European defeat to Aston Villa in the last two years on Thursday, this time falling 3-1 to the Premier League side in their Europa League quarter-final first leg, leaving the Veltri needing a miracle in the West Midlands next week to advance to the semis.

Back in league action this weekend, the Rossoblu will look to bounce back from their Aston Villa defeat against a side they historically fare well against.

Nonetheless, they were beaten by Hellas Verona a month ago when they last hosted a relegation-threatened team and suffered another home loss to Lazio before the international break.

Italiano’s men have been defeated in four of their last five at the Dall’Ara, where they have suffered eight losses this term.

Having picked up 17 of their 45 points in front of their supporters, Lecce will hope to take advantage of their hosts’ underwhelming results in Emilia-Romagna to secure a positive result in this fixture after a six-year wait.

Bologna Serie A form:

Bologna form (all competitions):

Lecce Serie A form:

Team News

Lewis Ferguson is suspended for Sunday after being sent off in the previous gameweek against Cremonese, while Thijs Dallinga, Charalampos Lykogiannis, Benjamin Dominguez and Lukasz Skorupski are all sidelined due to injury.

Jonathan Rowe’s strike against La Cremo was his second in three Serie A games before following that up with the Rossoblu’s consolation in the Villa defeat, pointing to a fifth consecutive start for the young wide attacker across all competitions.

Having not started in the win over Cremonese and loss to Villa, Riccardo Orsolini could return to Italiano’s lineup for the visit of Lecce.

The visitors will assess Antonio Gallo’s muscle complaint and Francesco Camarda’s shoulder issue ahead of Sunday, although they are without the sidelined Kialonda Gaspar, Riccardo Sottil and Medon Berisha.

The league’s lowest scorers cannot rely on Walid Cheddira for goals, with the forward netting just one all season, but Lameck Banda and Lassana Coulibaly have netted three goals apiece, while the former has assisted three to Coulibaly’s one.

However, Banda has neither scored nor assisted in his last five appearances, and Coulibaly has recorded just one goal involvement in five, stressing the need for someone to take responsibility for the relegation-threatened visitors.

Bologna possible starting lineup:

Ravaglia; Zortea, Heggem, Lucumi, Miranda; Frueler, Moro; Orsolini, Sohm, Rowe; Castro

Lecce possible starting lineup:

Falcone; Veiga, Siebert, Gabriel, Ndaba; Ramadani, Ngom; Pierotti, Coulibaly, Banda; Cheddira

We say: Bologna 1-1 Lecce

Despite their historical disadvantage in this fixture, Lecce’s desperation for points and Bologna’s loss of four of their last five at home could give Lupi some hope.

Thus, the away side are backed to secure a point in Emilia-Romagna to enhance their survival prospects and end a six-year wait for a positive result in this matchup.

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