Bologna vs Cagliari

March 2, 2013
By: Nemanja Lazarevic

Last-gasp win over Fiorentina helped Bologna remain at a safe distance from the bottom three, and il Felsinei now aim to virtually secure Serie A survival by beating Cagliari. That will be no easy task seeing how Isolani are unbeaten in last seven league fixtures and have picked up 10 points from last 4.

Christodoulopoulos scores on his debut

Bologna are one of the team that have played really well this season, but still find themselves very close to the relegation zone. Il Felsinei were often punished for their attack-minded approach even when they were the better team, but that same tactics have seen them beat even the strongest sides in Italy. The narrow victory over Fiorentina saw the team move away to a safe distance from the relegation zone, meaning they go into the Cagliari game without any pressure. January signing Lazaros Christodoulopoulos scored the winner on his debut and thus proved he would fit in really well into team’s free-scoring midfield. While Alberto Gilardino remain the top scorer with 10 goals, the likes of Diamanti, Gabbiadini and Kone have scored 16 goals between them, and it is this second line of attack that is proving to be a huge asset this season. With the match against high-flying Cagliari next on agenda, boss Stefano Pioli will need his star players to continue their excellent form if Bologna are to win this match.

Important defender Mikael Antonsson is suspended, while Diego Perez is doubtful and Cesare Natali is injured.

Cagliari finally proving their worth

Cagliari are another side that played some great football in the opening exchanges, but were not properly rewarded for their efforts. Boss Massimo Ficcadenti ended up paying the price for the dismal start to the season, and his replacement Ivo Pulga went on to win his first games since taking over the reigns. However, Isolani then embarked on a wretched run of results that saw them pick up just 2 points from next 9 games, and, at the time it looked as though they could easily go down. The team somehow managed to return to the right track and they have finally started playing to their potential. A seven-match unbeaten run (W4 D3) saw the team climb to 12th in the overall standings, and with the players brimming with confidence, Cagliari will not be afraid to attack Bologna at their Renato Dall’Ara. Having scored six goals in last two away games, Isolani can be trusted to score a couple in this match as well.

With Thiago Ribeiro resuming full training, boss Ivo Pulga has a courtesy of choosing from a fully fit squad.

Verdict

Bologna and Cagliari are not only the two sides that nurture attacking football, but they are also in a very good form at the moment. Given that both Felsinei and Isolani are scoring goals for fun at the moment, there is every chance we will see goals galore at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara in Bologna.

Top pick: Over 2.5 goals   2.10 (11/10) @ Paddy Power

Alternative pick 1: Both teams to score   1.80 (4/5) @ Ladbrokes

Alternative pick 2: Over 3.5 goals   3.75 (11/4) @ Coral

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