The path of Bologna towards the Champions League, the Rossoblù’s practically declared objective in these last four days, will make a stop on Friday evening TurinGranata bank. Turin-Bologna it is the preview of the 35th matchday of Serie A, and it will be a significant watershed for both teams. In the event of defeat, Ivan Juric’s band would see their already remaining hopes of reaching eighth place, the last useful one for Europe, practically wiped out. That Europe has already mathematically been reached by Bologna, but they don’t want to settle, after more than two months in fourth place. The Rossoblù are looking for three fundamental points, but to seize them they will have to undermine one of the best defensive departments in Serie A: let the challenge begin.
Torino-Bologna, first against second defense at home
The subtitle doesn’t leave much to interpretation: Buongiorno and his teammates are, currently in terms of numbers, the best defensive unit in Serie A, with only 8 goals conceded at the “Grande Torino” Olympic Stadium. Not the best news, or an extra stimulus for Zirkzee and Bologna? We don’t know the exact answer, but what we can guess is that the Rossoblù are not completely unprepared in this field, and they probably know how it feels: Bologna is right in second place in this ranking, with only one goal more right away (9).
Bologna is above the general average away from home: still in third place (as in the overall ranking) with 18 goals conceded, together with Napoli and Fiorentina. Tactics will be king in a match in which it has already demonstrated in the first leg that it can be a guarantee of entertainment: between construction, disallowed goals, grim defences, will the episodes still make the difference?
Bologna, an attack that must (partially) find itself
Against a defense that collected 12 clean sheets in the “Grande Torino”, Bologna will have to go back to honing their spearheads up front. The last away outing, in Rome, led to the goal Joshua Zirkzee, who only moved the net behind the goalkeepers away in 2024. The 9 Rossoblù, however, cannot be told only with numbers: Joshua is the lighthouse of all the attacks of Motta’s team, and from his work all comrades benefit. In this category we could include what, to date, is Bologna’s extra man: Alexis Saelemaekers. The Belgian has scored in the last two matches, three in total in the month of April, counting the match against Salernitana.
Those who can and must be able to make the decisive contribution are the two wingers on the opposite flank: Riccardo Orsolini And Dan Ndoye. The Azzurro winger reached double figures again this year, but, after perhaps being the best in the matches in Frosinone and Monza, he only participated as a substitute in the last outing. Opposite story for Ndoye: the Swiss started from 1st against Roma and Udinese. If at the Olimpico the 11th Rossoblù was a very effective push in the side, against Udinese the nightmares of Frosinone were revealed, with a coolness in front of goal that is still missing.
A “blunt” Taurus, but not too much
If Bologna has to rekindle the light of goals in its sharpest arrows, Torino will also have to find new offensive verve to be able to put the Rossoblù’s defensive system in difficulty. The Granata have not scored a goal since 6 April, the day of the match against Empoli, and in that case the brace from Duvan Zapata it wasn’t even enough for Juric’s men. The Colombian and Tony Sanabria they are certainly the greatest dangers for what will presumably be Bologna’s defensive pair given the disqualification of Sam Beukemathat is Calafiori-Lucumì.
In addition to the South American style attack, it is best not to forget the danger of Nikola Vlasic, who had already struck in the first leg, but – fortunately – VAR had canceled everything. Motta and his staff will therefore not stop at mere numbers, but will tighten their belts for this final rush which sees three away games out of four matches: the Champions League inevitably passes through here.
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