In contention for an unexpected top-four finish, Serie A's surprise package Bologna aim to maintain their momentum when they visit Udinese on Saturday.
The Rossoblu sit fourth in the standings and recently followed up Coppa Italia victory over Inter Milan with a league win against Atalanta; meanwhile, their hosts are embroiled in a battle against the drop.
Match preview
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Confirming their credentials as European contenders, Bologna's bright start to the season has recently developed into a concerted push for a place in Italy's top four.
Either side of a dramatic extra-time cup win over Inter, Thiago Motta's men have beaten Roma and Atalanta - two of their main competitors for a spot in UEFA competition next term.
The latter arrived last weekend, when the Rossoblu posted a sixth consecutive home win and seventh overall in 2023-24, with Lewis Ferguson's late strike separating the sides at Stadio Dall'Ara.
While their form in Emilia-Romagna has been most impressive, Bologna have also lost just one of nine away fixtures this season - and none since slipping up against Fiorentina in November. Throughout Europe's top five leagues, only Inter, Bayer Leverkusen and Girona have proved harder to beat on the road.
With both Ferguson and ex-Bayern Munich striker Joshua Zirkzee firing on all cylinders, the Emilian club have passed 30 points at this stage of a Serie A season for the first time this century - keeping things tight at the back has certainly helped their cause.
Only Inter (seven) and Juventus (11) have conceded fewer goals than Bologna's tally of 12, so their hosts this weekend will need to step up their efforts in the final third.
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Just two teams have scored fewer times than Udinese this season, and both languish at the bottom of the table, to which Gabriele Cioffi's side are perilously close as the first half of their 2023-24 campaign draws towards its close.
As a result of being unable to turn draws into precious victories, Serie A's 17th-placed side face a relegation battle in the months ahead: so far, they have won only once in the league and once in the cup.
Indeed, the Bianconeri have drawn each of their last five home matches in Italy's top flight - in addition to exiting the Coppa Italia - while conceding a late goal last Saturday also saw them held by Torino in Turin.
Udinese are now just the third team to have recorded as many as 11 draws from the first 17 games of a Serie A season since the 1990s, and patience in Cioffi is already running out.
The former Verona coach returned for a second spell with the Fruilani earlier this year, taking over from Andrea Sottil, but he has made little tangible impact as yet; avoiding Udinese's third straight Serie A defeat to Bologna would at least keep the critics quiet for now.
Team News
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Joining Jesper Karlsson (knee) and Adama Soumaoro (ACL) on the sidelines, Bologna winger Dan Ndoye - who scored the Rossoblu's extra-time winner against Inter earlier this month - has sustained a thigh injury that will keep him out of action on Saturday.
Only just returned to fitness himself, Riccardo Orsolini is in prime position to take Ndoye's place in the visitors' starting XI, but Thiago Motta is unlikely to make many other changes to a winning side.
Almost a certain selection behind lone striker Joshua Zirkzee, Scottish star Lewis Ferguson has eight Serie A strikes to his name in 2023, with Antonio Candreva and Teun Koopmeiners the only midfielders to net more this year. Furthermore, Ferguson has four goals and two assists so far this term, just one goal involvement fewer than in 32 league appearances last season.
Udinese, meanwhile, will have Martin Payero back from suspension, but several players remain absent due to injury.
Though Jordan Zemura still hopes to recover from a thigh problem in time to make Gabriele Cioffi's squad, Keinan Davis, Brenner, Gerard Deulofeu, Enzo Ebosse and Slovenian centre-back Jaka Bijol are all unavailable this weekend.
Likely to start up front, supported by captain Roberto Pereyra, Lorenzo Lucca has scored in both of his last two home matches and is the hosts' leading marksman in all competitions with six goals.
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Ferreira, Perez, Kristensen; Ebosele, Samardzic, Walace, Payero, Kamara; Pereyra; Lucca
Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Posch, Beukema, Calafiori, Kristiansen; Freuler, Aebischer; Orsolini, Ferguson, Saelemaekers; Zirkzee
We say: Udinese 0-1 Bologna
Bologna are a well-oiled machine under Thiago Motta, and it is not asking too much for the Rossoblu to post a fifth straight win to finish 2023 in fitting style. As Udinese lack a reliable finisher and are at a low ebb in terms of confidence, expect the away side to head home with all three points.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
