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

After posting four straight wins, Bologna intend to extend that revival when they visit Serie A strugglers Pisa on Monday evening.

While the Rossoblu have steadied the ship domestically and made progress in Europe, their hosts are on course for a quick return to Italy's second tier.

Match preview

Continuing their recent return to form, Bologna booked a place in the Europa League's last 16 on Thursday evening, beating SK Brann 1-0 for the second time in the space of a week.

The home side took full advantage of their Norwegian visitors being reduced to 10 men, securing an aggregate win with Joao Mario's second-half strike.

Victory in the playoff round set up an all-Italian meeting with Roma, and a potential quarter-final against either Lille or Aston Villa awaits.

Bologna have also won their last two Serie A matches, ending a run of four consecutive defeats, so Vincenzo Italiano's side seem to have arrested their mid-season slump down the standings.

Last year's Coppa Italia winners had endured a dismal start to 2026 - struggling to pick up points and getting knocked out of the cup - but they returned to eighth place by beating Torino and Udinese.

Still, a domestic return route to Europe looks unlikely, leaving the Europa League as their main focus.

Before tackling Roma, the Rossoblu will face Serie A's bottom two, Pisa and Hellas Verona - starting with a trip to Tuscany.

Most date back several decades, but Bologna have lost just one of seven top-flight meetings with Pisa, including a 4-0 victory in October's reverse fixture.

Furthermore, Pisa have only won one of eight home matches against their Emilian visitors in either Serie A or Serie B - and none since February 1985.

The Nerazzurri come into this contest looking doomed to the drop, without a win in 15 league fixtures since posting their lone success of the season in early November.

Defeat in last week's Tuscan derby against fellow strugglers Fiorentina all but condemned them to demotion after just one year in the Italian top flight.

Nine points from safety, Pisa's comeback campaign has proved a big disappointment, and new coach Oscar Hiljemark has yet to make much of an impact.

So far, the young coach has claimed one point from three matches, and has already criticised his squad for playing with fear - it remains to be seen how effective that strategy will be.

Pisa Serie A form:

D L L D L L

Bologna Serie A form:

L L L L W W

Bologna form (all competitions):

L L W W W W

Team News

Bologna are missing both of their senior left-backs - Charalampos Lykogiannis and Juan Miranda - due to injury, so either Joao Mario or Nadir Zortea may be asked to fill in on Monday.

Norway defender Torbjorn Heggem is still struggling to overcome a hip problem, but Eivind Helland and veteran full-back Lorenzo De Silvestri are now available - both were omitted from the Rossoblu's UEFA squad list.

Thijs Dallinga and Santiago Castro will continue their fight for selection up front: the latter has been back in favour of late, scoring in three of his last five appearances.

Meanwhile, Pisa will be without injured quartet Calvin Stengs, Daniel Denoon, Isak Vural and Simone Scuffet.

The latter's fellow goalkeeper Adrian Semper should now return, so third-choice stopper Nicolas may have to make way.

After joining top scorer Stefano Moreo in the front line that failed to perform against Fiorentina, Samuel Iling-Junior will hope to face his former club - the English winger made seven Serie A appearances for Bologna last term.

Pisa possible starting lineup:

Semper; Canestrelli, Caracciolo, Bozhinov; Toure, Loyola, Aebischer, Marin, Iling-Junior; Moreo, Stojilkovic

Bologna possible starting lineup:

Skorupski; De Silvestri, Lucumi, Casale, Mario; Ferguson, Freuler, Sohm; Orsolini, Castro, Cambiaghi

We say: Pisa 0-2 Bologna

Across all competitions, Bologna have recently posted four wins from five on the road, while Pisa are both luckless and toothless.

The visitors have also scored in their last 11 Serie A away fixtures - at an average of two goals per game - and extending that trend will equal a club record set more than 70 years ago.

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