Bologna vs Roma

Bologna will kick off their 2025 Serie A campaign on Sunday evening, hosting Roma at Stadio Dall'Ara after a delayed start to the new year. The Rossoblu had a bye in the previous round as their scheduled match was deferred due to Roma's participation in the Supercoppa Italiana. This will be Bologna's first match of the year, and they will look to make a strong return after a tough finish to 2024, as they face a Roma team riding high after their impressive victory in the Rome derby.

Bologna ended 2024 on a down note, suffering a bitter 3-2 home loss to Hellas Verona in what was their final fixture of the year. The defeat came at a time when the team was looking to build on their solid performances earlier in the season. Despite being reduced to 10 men in the second half due to Tommaso Pobega's red card, Bologna managed to equalize thanks to an excellent second goal from their promising talent, Benjamin Dominguez. However, a late own goal from Santiago Castro in the dying moments of the game sealed their fate. Despite the setback, Bologna can still hold their heads high as they remain within reach of the Champions League spots, having qualified for the prestigious competition the previous season. The team is well within the top half of the Serie A table and is still in contention for a place among Italy's elite clubs, with at least one game in hand over many of their rivals. 

Bologna’s home form has been one of the key strengths that have kept them in the hunt for European football. The defeat to Verona marked the only time this season that they had fallen behind at Stadio Dall'Ara in Serie A. In fact, their defensive solidity at home has been a hallmark of their season, and they will expect to bounce back from their recent loss and put their home advantage to good use. In the last two years, Bologna has not lost consecutive league games, a testament to their resilience. Moreover, they have not suffered back-to-back defeats in Serie A since January 2022, which gives them confidence as they prepare to face Roma this weekend. The Rossoblu have struggled in opening matches in recent years, failing to win any of their first fixtures since 2016, posting four draws and four defeats. Two years ago, they were defeated by Roma in their first game of the year, and they will be eager to break that winless streak on Sunday.

Roma, on the other hand, comes into this game carrying the weight of recent defeats to Bologna. The Giallorossi have been on the losing end of their last three encounters with Bologna, with an aggregate score of 8-3 in favor of their hosts. The last time Roma lost four consecutive games to Bologna was in the 1960s, and they will be determined to avoid that fate on Sunday. Despite their poor run of form against Bologna, Roma enters the match buoyed by their strong finish to 2024. After a tumultuous year that saw the team struggle at times, Roma ended the year with a resounding 4-0 victory over Parma, followed by a hard-fought 1-1 draw at San Siro against AC Milan. These results helped to lift their spirits and rebuild their confidence, setting the stage for a fresh start in 2025.

Roma's most recent success, however, came in the Derby della Capitale against Lazio on January 5, 2025. The team had been languishing 15 points behind Lazio in the standings, but they managed to cut the deficit significantly with a 2-0 victory. It was a much-needed boost for the Giallorossi, who had been facing criticism for their inconsistency. Captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, who had been recalled to the starting lineup, opened the scoring in the first half, with Alexis Saelemaekers doubling their advantage soon after. The victory in the derby not only kept Roma in the top half of the Serie A standings but also revived their hopes of securing a European spot. The match itself was far from smooth, with plenty of pushing and shoving towards the end, but Roma ultimately held firm to claim a memorable victory. 

Roma’s recent form has shown significant improvement, having won three of their last five league matches, as many victories as they had in their previous 15 matches. This uptick in form has been attributed to the steady hand of interim coach Claudio Ranieri, who took over the reins from José Mourinho earlier in the season. Ranieri has managed to steady the ship and bring a sense of stability to the team, guiding them through some tough patches. His leadership appears to have given Roma a renewed sense of purpose, and they are now aiming for back-to-back league victories for the first time since September. Additionally, Roma will look to end a frustrating 12-match away winless streak in Serie A, which has been their longest such run in the league this century. 

Looking ahead to the encounter with Bologna, Roma will be determined to put an end to their recent struggles at Stadio Dall'Ara and claim an important win. Bologna’s strong home form will present a significant challenge, but Roma’s recent victory in the derby and improved performances under Ranieri give them confidence as they seek to build on their momentum. Bologna, for their part, will be eager to put their disappointing end to 2024 behind them and start the new year on the front foot, as they seek to extend their unbeaten home record in Serie A and get back to winning ways in year-opening fixtures.

Both teams come into this match with a mix of optimism and lingering questions. Bologna has shown impressive consistency at home but will need to recover from a tough defeat to Verona and avoid a repeat of their recent struggles in opening fixtures. Roma, while improving under Ranieri, still have their work cut out for them, particularly on the road, where they have not won a league match in over three months. The match promises to be a fascinating encounter, with both teams looking to make a statement as they navigate the challenges of Serie A in the second half of the season. 

As Bologna aims to reinforce their top-four aspirations and Roma looks to continue their revival, the outcome of this match will have significant implications for both sides’ goals this season. While Bologna will be favorites to win on their home turf, Roma’s recent derby triumph and newfound confidence under Ranieri could provide them with the edge they need to break their losing streak against the Rossoblu. As always in Serie A, though, the match is likely to be closely contested, and both teams will need to be at their best to secure the points on offer.