Boosted by the excellent showings against Roma and Pescara, Bologna will attempt to continue the promising run of results and further escape the danger zone. Siena produced quite a coup by beating Inter at home last weekend, but that doesn’t mean Robur will not be in for a difficult task at Renato Dall’Ara.

Scoring goals for fun

Bologna were always going to experience problems this season after their squad underwent major changes in the summer, so a slow start to the league campaign was definitely not a surprise. Il Felsinei were showing glimpses of quality even during their disappointing run of results, but they terribly lacked any consistency. Stefano Pioli’s side, however, seem to have finally clicked, with their last few performances hinting they are ready to return to where they belong. After their 4-0 win over Chievo was followed by very promising displays in narrow defeats to Inter and Milan, Bologna played out an entertaining 3-3 draw with Roma before beating Pescara 3-2 away last weekend. With the likes of Diamanti, Kone, Gabbiadini and Gilardino all in excellent form, it is hardly surprising that Bologna are scoring goals for fun at the moment, and the trend looks set to continue against bottom-placed Siena.

Manolo Gabbiadini returns to the side after recovering from injury, leaving Cesare Natali as the only unavailable player at the moment.

Siena back in business

This season has been a true rollercoaster ride for Siena, and, considering the circumstances, the team would produce an unbelievable coup if they manage to survive this campaign. Robur began the season well, quickly neutralizing the six-point deduction, but they then embarked on two dismal run of results that saw them slip to rock bottom in the Serie A standings. However, just as everybody started writing them off, Beppe Iachini’s side won two home games to cut the gap behind safety to just four points. While the team did really well to record a 3-1 victory over Inter last weekend, they were not as impressive as the results would suggest, but rather profited from their opponents’ shocking performance and some dubious refereeing decisions. When you also take into account that Siena picked up just 2 points from last 9 away games in Serie A, you will understand why I seriously doubt Robur can match in-form Bologna at Renato Dall’Ara.

Key defender Massimo Paci is suspended, while new signing Nicola Pozzi is still not ready to return.

Verdict

Bologna have been absolutely brilliant of late, and with their key players on top of their game, the hosts look a good bet to record back to back Serie A wins. Siena may have beaten Inter last weekend, but they remain utterly disappointing on the travels, and I just don’t see how they are going to stop Bologna from winning this match.

Top pick: Home win   1.91 (10/11) @ Coral

Alternative pick 1: Bologna to score two or more   2.10 (11/10) @ Sportingbet

Alternative pick 2: Bologna to lead at half-time   2.63 (13/8) @ BetFred

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