Preview: Hellas Verona vs Bologna - prediction, team news, lineups

Both waiting for their first win of 2026, Hellas Verona and Bologna will vie for maximum points when they meet at Stadio Bentegodi on Thursday.

Since putting a superb run together in November, the visitors have won none of their last seven Serie A matches, while Verona are without a victory in five.

Match preview

After losing 1-0 to Lazio on Sunday evening, Verona have just one point to show from their first three fixtures of the new year, leaving them deep in danger.

Only promoted Pisa have accrued as few points as Paolo Zanetti's struggling side, who sit four shy of safety halfway through their league campaign.

Having posted just one win from 11 games at the Bentegodi this season, they must turn around such dismal form to have any chance of avoiding the drop.

Just once in their long history have Hellas collected fewer home points at this stage of a top-flight campaign, and that was in 2015-16, when they were eventually relegated.

With his job under threat, Zanetti clearly has issues to fix at both ends of the pitch: Verona have conceded at least once in their last eight Serie A matches, while failing to score in three of the last four.

Following a 2-1 win in the most recent meeting, played at the Bentegodi back in March, Bologna have won three of their last four games against Verona across all competitions.

Now, Rossoblu boss Vincenzo Italiano returns to his old club in dire need of another victory, as his team's form has nosedived since the start of December.

Bologna have not won any of their last seven league games - equalling their worst run for five years - and they now trail behind several other clubs vying for European qualification.

Slipping to ninth place in the table, Italiano's men have picked up just three points during that downturn - including one from last week's trip to Como.

Nicolo Cambiaghi was both hero and villain for the visitors on that occasion, scoring their opener before getting sent off; his dismissal proved costly, as the Lariani then drew level with a stunning late strike.

So, before playing host to Celtic in a crucial Europa League clash, Bologna will be desperate to beat two Serie A strugglers: after visiting Verona, they tackle Fiorentina in Sunday's Derby dell'Appennino.

Hellas Verona Serie A form:

W W L L D L

Bologna Serie A form:

D L D L L D

Bologna form (all competitions):

W L D L L D

Team News

Verona are still missing injured pair Tomas Suslov and Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, but Rafik Belghali has returned from the Africa Cup of Nations and is likely to start.

Once again, Gift Orban, Daniel Mosquera, Amine Sarr and highly-rated forward Giovane will all fight to claim two places up front.

Making an impact in his first Serie A campaign, the latter has recorded seven goal involvements so far - including six on home turf.

Meanwhile, Bologna talisman Riccardo Orsolini has reflected his club's recent decline: the Italy winger has scored just once in his last 11 top-flight appearances, after netting eight goals in the previous 11.

While Thijs Dallinga and Santiago Castro are rivals to lead the Rossoblu's front line, substitute striker Ciro Immobile has previously scored 10 times in 14 games against Verona, seven of which have come at the Bentegodi.

The visitors will be without Jhon Lucumi and Federico Bernardeschi due to injury; after his reckless red card last week, Cambiaghi must serve a suspension.

Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:

Montipo; Nelsson, Bella-Kotchap, Valentini; Belghali, Niasse, Gagliardini, Bernede, Frese; Giovane, Orban

Bologna possible starting lineup:

Ravaglia; Holm, Heggem, Vitik, Miranda; Moro, Ferguson; Orsolini, Odgaard, Rowe; Dallinga