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

Newly-crowned Coppa Italia winners Bologna turn their attention back to the top-four race in Serie A with a trip to the Artemio Franchi to face Fiorentina on Sunday night.

This season will already go down in history for Bologna, who ended a half-century wait for silverware on Wednesday, and it could get even better if they manage to seal Champions League football for a second season running.

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Match preview

A momentous night in the history of Bologna Football Club on Wednesday saw Vincenzo Italiano lead the Rossoblu to the Coppa Italia, beating AC Milan 1-0, ending a 51-year trophy drought for the club from Emilia-Romagna.

Dan Ndoye's goal saw Bologna avenge Milan for the defeat they inflicted on them in Serie A last weekend, meaning the campaign will now be an unprecedented success regardless of what happens in the league from here on in.

It could give Italiano's men a well-timed boost though, as their league form had been faltering, with just two points taken from their previous three matches, coming in draws with Udinese and Juventus.

Bologna have not gone four games without a win since the opening month of the season, and it would be a great time to end that streak with the top-four race hotting up ahead of the final two games of the campaign.

Just two points separate the Rossoblu from Juventus in fourth, and with Europa League qualification already secure thanks to their Coppa Italia success, Italiano's men may as well go all out for the top four.

The visitors have won four of their last five matches against Fiorentina in Serie A too, as well as both of the last two, meaning they could seal three in succession for the first time since the mid-1960s.

However, Fiorentina have not beat an opponent more often than Bologna in Serie A (57), and La Viola are unbeaten in 12 of their last 13 games against their upcoming opponents at the Artemio Franchi - winning nine.

Raffaele Palladino's men are struggling at the worst possible time though, losing four in a row to virtually end their season competitively.

After being beaten over two legs by Real Betis in the semi-finals of the Conference League, Fiorentina then followed up a defeat at Roma by losing to Venezia in surprising circumstances on Monday night, seeing them slip to ninth in the standings.

European qualification now looks unlikely for the club that have gone far in the Conference League in each of the last three seasons, unless they can pull two wins out of the bag in their final two fixtures.

A win here would move them level on points with Bologna and give them the superior head-to-head record, while Milan are only one point ahead heading into the weekend, but it may only be the top six who are granted Europe via the league route, making it extremely difficult for Fiorentina.

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Team News

Fiorentina could be without their three first-choice attackers, as Moise Kean and Albert Gudmundsson are battling injury issues, while Lucas Beltran is suspended.

Kean has scored 17 goals in Serie A goals this season, ranking second in the division, and will be a huge miss, so the pressure will be on the likes of Nicolo Zaniolo and Cher Ndour to come in and fill the void.

Zaniolo is only just back from suspension, but the hosts will be without Michael Folorunsho after he picked up his fifth caution of the campaign last week, while Danilo Cataldi is out with a hamstring injury.

After Martin Erlic, Emil Holm and match-winner Ndoye all returned to the squad for the Coppa Italia final in midweek, Bologna are set to be at full strength for this trip to Tuscany.

Erlic was an unused sub, while Holm played 75 minutes, but the Swede did not have as much of an impact as Ndoye, who netted the solitary goal, and should form one part of the visiting attack here.

Italiano prioritised the final with his team selection in the league last weekend, but they should now field a stronger XI as they switch attention back to finishing in the top four.

Fiorentina possible starting lineup: De Gea; Pongracic, Pablo Mari, Ranieri; Dodo, Mandragora, Adli, Fagioli, Gosens; Zaniolo, Ndour

Bologna possible starting lineup: Skorupski; De Silvestri, Beukema, Lucumi, Juan Miranda; Ferguson, Freuler, Fabbian; Orsolini, Dallinga, Ndoye

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We say: Fiorentina 0-1 Bologna

Bologna will be riding the crest of a wave after their joyous moment in midweek, and if they can gather their focus for this league encounter, they should feel confident of bettering an out-of-form Fiorentina.

A win could keep Fiorentina in contention for Europe going into the final day, but a lot of damage has been done thanks to the defeat to Venezia last time out, and this will be a difficult assignment for the hosts, who may struggle with their entire front line set to miss out.

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

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