AC Milan will look to remain in the Serie A top four when they take on Bologna at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on Saturday.
The footballing action is coming at a breakneck speed as we approach the business end of the 2022/23 season. In Serie A, Matchday 30 begins today, with the action on Saturday kicking off at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, with Bologna and AC Milan going head-to-head this week.
Bologna began the season in a forgettable manner, winning just one of the first team Serie A games. But their fortunes have steadily improved since Thiago Motta took charge in September. And they have lost just two of their last 12 matches in the Italian top flight, with the run of results taking them up from 13th in the standings to eighth.
On the other hand, AC Milan’s defence of the Serie A title has not gone as well as they would have envisioned. The reigning champions have blown hot and cold throughout the season, although they were once in the thick of the title race. But Stefano Pioli’s men have won just one of their last five league games. However, they come into this match on the back of a 1-0 win over Napoli in the UEFA Champions League.
The reverse fixture saw AC Milan clinch a hard-fought 2-0 win over Bologna, with Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud finding the back of the net. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Bologna
📋 SQUADLIST 📋
TM lists his 2️⃣2️⃣ man squad for #BolognaMilan 🤝#WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/nSpCgCoE0g
— Bologna FC 1909 (@BolognaFC1909en) April 14, 2023
Thiago Motta has a new roster issue hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against AC Milan on Saturday, the Bologna manager will be bereft of the services of five first-team players.
Riccardo Orsolini is the latest absentee, with the Italian attacker serving a one-match suspension. Orsolini has joined Roberto Soriano, Andrea Cambiaso, Nicola Bagnolini, and Marko Arnautovic on the sidelines.
Lukasz Skorupski will take his spot between the sticks, with Bologna lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Stefan Posch will start as a makeshift right-back, with Jhon Lucumi and Adama Soumaoro forming the central defensive partnership. And Georgios Kyriakopoulos will feature as a left-back.
As for the midfield unit, Jerdy Schouten and Nicolas Dominguez will pair up in the double pivot. The duo will be primarily defensive-minded in their approach, looking to keep Brahim Diaz quiet. Lewis Ferguson will be the most advanced midfielder for Bologna.
But he will often drop deep to create a midfield trifecta in the defensive phases. But Ferguson will also look to create openings for the hosts. Michel Aebischer and Musa Barrow should be the two wide attackers, with Nicola Sansone spearheading the attack.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Skorupski; Posch, Lucumi, Soumaoro, Kyriakopoulos; Schouten, Dominguez; Aebischer, Ferguson, Barrow; Sansone
AC Milan
Unlike his counterpart in the Bologna dugout, Stefano Pioli barely has any issues to deal with ahead of the trip to Stadio Renato Dall’Ara. The AC Milan manager will be without just one player on Saturday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the only absentee for AC Milan due to a muscle injury. Otherwise, Pioli has a full-strength squad at his disposal this weekend. Meanwhile, the visitors will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Mike Maignan being an automatic pick between the sticks.
With the second leg against Napoli coming up, Pioli will rotate his troops to keep some of the regulars fresh. So players like Davide Calabria, Simon Kjaer, and the in-demand Theo Hernandez will be on the bench.
We go again! Onto Bologna 💪#BolognaMilan #SempreMilan
Brought to you by @play_eFootball pic.twitter.com/wnnHGjBkX6— AC Milan (@acmilan) April 13, 2023
Pierre Kalulu should replace Calabria on the right flank. And Fikayo Tomori and Malick Thiaw should form the central defensive partnership this weekend. Meanwhile, Fode Ballo-Toure will likely come in for Hernandez as the left-back.
Rade Krunic will retain his spot in the double pivot. But Tommaso Pobega should replace Stefano Pioli as Krunic’s partner in the middle of the park. Meanwhile, the entire attacking unit will get some much-needed rest on Saturday.
Charles De Ketelaere will make a rare start, replacing Ismael Bennacer in the free role in the final third. Alexis Saelemaekers and Ante Rebic should come in as the wide attackers, with Brahim Diaz and Rafael Leao dropping to the bench. Finally, Divock Origi will start in place of Olivier Giroud as the central striker.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kalulu, Tomori, Thiaw, Ballo-Toure; Krunic, Pobega; Saelemaekers, De Ketelaere, Rebic; Origi
Key Stats
- Bologna have not won any of their last 14 Serie A matches (D2 L12) against AC Milan. Only against Juventus (D4 L17) do they currently have a longer winless streak in the competition. On the other hand, the Rossoneri are unbeaten in their last 16 away matches (W12 D4) against Bologna in Serie A. Only against SPAL (19) do they have a longer current streak of away games without defeat.
- Bologna have won their last two Serie A games without conceding. They last won three in a row without conceding in February 1973 in the top flight. Meanwhile, they have not let in a goal in their last three Serie A home games. They last went longer in January 2000, reaching eight consecutive home clean sheets.
- Since the beginning of February, Bologna have gained 17 points in Serie A, thanks to five wins and two draws (L2). In the period, only Napoli, Juventus (both 21) and Lazio (20) have gained more.
- Musa Barrow has been involved in the most goals in April 2023 in Serie A (four: one goal and three assists). The Gambian striker could take part in a goal in at least three matches in a row in the competition for the first time since October 2021 (four in that case).
- In Europe’s top five leagues, Rafael Leao is one of only five players born after 1999, with more than 20 goals and more than ten assists in the last two seasons. The others are Bukayo Saka, Erling Haaland, Vinicius Junior and Moussa Diaby.
Player to Watch
Divock Origi
When Divock Origi left Liverpool as a free agent last summer, he would have hoped to kick-start his career. The Belgian international had been a dependable performer for the Reds, albeit as a backup option. And he might have envisaged a future as a first-choice striker at his next club.
But the 27-year-old has struggled to make his mark at San Siro, managing only two goals thus far. Persistent fitness issues have also troubled Origi, and reports have claimed that a summer exit might be on the cards. However, he will hope to end the season strongly to secure his long-term AC Milan future. It all starts with the game against Bologna this weekend.
Prediction
Bologna 1-1 AC Milan
The hosts have been on a roll in the last few months and have barely been on the wrong end of a result. On the other hand, the reigning La Liga champions have failed to stamp their authority, managing just one win in five league games.
Bologna will be in a strong position to cause an upset and continue the march to the top six. But AC Milan will have plenty of firepower on the bench and should take something out of the game. In the end, there might not be much to separate the two teams. And The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.
