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

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Sports Mole previews Sunday's Serie A clash between Monza and Bologna, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Both seeking their first Serie A win of the season, Monza and Bologna will fight it out for three points at U-Power Stadium on Sunday.

While the hosts held reigning champions Inter Milan to a draw last time out, their visitors fought back to pick up a point in Como before making a long-awaited Champions League debut.

Match preview

Andrea Petagna of AC Monza in action, first round of Coppa Italia Frecciarossa, AC Monza - Sudtirol © Imago

After taking the lead against Inter last weekend, Monza were on course for a famous victory over their Lombardy neighbours, as Dany Mota's late strike put them within minutes of ending a long winless streak.

However, Denzel Dumfries then scored the Scudetto holders' equaliser, meaning Monza still await their first league win since March 16.

Among teams currently in Serie A, the Biancorossi are on the longest run without victory (13 matches), recording six draws and seven defeats during that barren spell.

It even required a penalty shootout to register their sole success since last spring - in a Coppa Italia tie against Sudtirol, which set up next week's second-round clash with Brescia.

Alessandro Nesta's side have been quite conservative so far, as no other team has attempted fewer shots (24), while only Juventus have faced fewer shots on target.

Now, they will try to beat Bologna for the second time since arriving in the top flight two years ago, and in four previous Serie A meetings between the clubs, Monza have kept a clean sheet on three occasions.

Bologna captain Riccardo Orsolini on August 31, 2024 © Imago

Like Sunday's hosts, Bologna have been unable to turn draws into wins so far this season, taking one point from four of their five fixtures so far.

Most recently, the Rossoblu ended an almost 60-year wait to compete in Europe's top club competition, when they welcomed Shakhtar Donetsk to Stadio Dall'Ara on Wednesday, with the game ending goalless after Lukasz Skorupski saved an early Georgiy Sudakov penalty.

New boss Vincenzo Italiano is still searching for his first win, having started off with disappointing home draws either side of a 3-0 defeat to Napoli; then, last weekend, his side had to come from two goals down to rescue a point against promoted Como.

Only goals from substitutes Santiago Castro and Samuel Iling-Junior saved the day, and they sit 17th place in the early Serie A standings.

Stretching back to last season, Bologna have won just two of their last 12 league matches, while recording no fewer than eight draws.

In fact, since the start of April, the Emilian side have drawn the most times in Italy's top flight - alongside Juventus - so Italiano will be intent on finally getting three points over the line this weekend.

Monza Serie A form:

Monza form (all competitions):

Bologna Serie A form:

Bologna form (all competitions):

Team News

Alessandro Nesta and Daniel Maldini of Monza in August 2024 © Imago

Monza are still without goalkeeper Alessio Cragno (shoulder) and wing-back Patrick Ciurria (knee) due to injury, while Samuele Vignato, Roberto Gagliardini and Samuele Birindelli are all doubts.

Milan Djuric is again set to lead the hosts' attack, but Dany Mota may force his way into the starting XI after scoring against Inter, ahead of either Gianluca Caprari or Daniel Maldini.

Not always first choice, Mota is one of only two men to have reached double figures for Serie A goals with the Biancorossi, and over the past four seasons he has scored 28 times - seven more than any Monza teammate.

Bologna, meanwhile, may make changes following their midweek Champions League appearance, so Thijs Dallinga could replace Santiago Castro up front.

Only a trio of long-term absentees will be missing from Vincenzo Italiano's squad on Sunday: Lewis Ferguson is working his way back to fitness from an ACL injury and may be back in action next month, while Oussama El Azzouzi and Nicolo Cambiaghi will be out for some time yet.

Monza possible starting lineup:
Turati; Izzo, Mari, Carboni; Pereira, Bondo, Pessina, Kyriakopoulos; Maldini, Mota; Djuric

Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Holm, Casale, Lucumi, Miranda; Pobega, Freuler, Aebischer; Orsolini, Dallinga, Ndoye

SM words green background

We say: Monza 0-1 Bologna

Neither side has found their rhythm in the final third this season - with both averaging under one goal per game across all competitions - so it could be a single strike that separates them on Sunday.

Monza's wait for a win may go on, as Bologna have a few more potential routes to goal available and they are more likely to score.

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

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