Nine games unbeaten - six in Serie A - Bologna aim to boost their hopes of European qualification when hosting Torino on Friday evening.
Like their visitors, the Rossoblu have settled for a single point several times in 2025, but both will seek three at Stadio Dall'Ara.
Match preview
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Full of confidence after a five-match unbeaten streak in Serie A - followed by a midweek Coppa Italia quarter-final win over Atalanta BC - Bologna were buoyant when heading south to Lecce last week, but they were ultimately held to a 0-0 draw.
First-half heroics from goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski kept the Emilian side level at Stadio Via del Mare, and after offering little threat at the other end they claimed just one point against relegation-threatened opponents.
Nonetheless, the Rossoblu can now go undefeated through their first seven league games of a calendar year for the first time since 2012, as the race for European places continues.
Sitting level on points with AC Milan - who they must play twice before the end of the season - and just behind Fiorentina and Juventus, Vincenzo Italiano's men are intent on tasting more continental action after this season's Champions League adventure.
Having lost just one Serie A match at the Dall'Ara this term, Bologna will expect to continue their positive run of results against Torino: Friday's hosts have won three of the clubs' last five meetings.
Indeed, they have kept clean sheets in all of the last three, including a 2-0 away win in December, earned by late strikes from Tommaso Pobega and Thijs Dallinga.
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Before setting off for Emilia-Romagna on this occasion, Torino have also failed to win any of their last eight league games in Bologna.
Like their hosts, Toro are undefeated in 2025 - albeit winning just once since the turn of the year - but they are still some 10 points behind in the Serie A standings.
Last time out, Paolo Vanoli's men were pegged back by Genoa in a 1-1 draw that saw new boys Cesare Casadei and Cristiano Biraghi both make their debut from the bench.
As a result, they have drawn six of their last seven matches - at least two more than anyone else across Europe's top five leagues since Christmas.
Having stopped their mid-season slide towards a possible survival scrap, Torino are back in contention for a top-half finish, and victory on Friday would - at least temporarily - take them 10th in the table.
While their recent record at Stadio Dall'Ara may be dismal, the Granata have not lost any of their last five away fixtures; so ending Bologna's unbeaten run is now within their sights.
Team News
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Bologna boss Vincenzo Italiano can welcome back influential winger Riccardo Orsolini, who has returned to full training after a thigh injury, but Lewis Ferguson and Jens Odgaard are still on the treatment table.
The hosts' leading scorer could join six-goal striker Santiago Castro in a four-man front line, though Thijs Dallinga is vying with the latter to start.
Recent signing Davide Calabria - formerly captain of Milan - will be up against competition from Emil Holm and Lorenzo De Silvestri to feature at right-back.
Torino acquired Eljif Elmas, Cristiano Biraghi and Cesare Casadei during the winter window, with the latter most likely to start on Friday evening.
A one-match ban for Samuele Ricci could see Casadei make his full debut for the Turin club, particularly as Adrien Tameze sustained a muscular injury in the draw with Genoa and is also set to miss out.
Alieu Njie again joins long-term absentees Perr Schuurs and Duvan Zapata on the sidelines.
Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Calabria, Beukema, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Moro; Orsolini, Dominguez, Ndoye; Castro
Torino possible starting lineup:
Milinkovic-Savic; Pedersen, Maripan, Coco, Sosa; Casadei, Linetty; Lazaro, Vlasic, Karamoh; Adams
We say: Bologna 1-0 Torino
Torino (1,370) and Bologna (1,326) have played the most minutes on level terms in Serie A this season, so it is sure to be a close-fought contest on Friday.
With one goal splitting them, the hosts can end their visitors' unbeaten streak and extend their own, thanks to a more potent attack.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
