An intriguing all-Italian clash awaits in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) on Thursday evening as Bologna welcome Roma to the Renato Dall'Ara Stadium for the first leg.
The hosts beat Brann 2-0 on aggregate in the play-off round to book their place in the last 16, while Roma qualified automatically for the knockout stage after finishing in the top eight in the league phase.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below using odds from bet365, and make sure to check out our Today's betting tips page for more of our free expert UEL predictions!
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Bologna vs Roma key stats
- Bologna have won five of their last six games in all competitions.
- Roma are winless in four away matches across all competitions (D2, L2).
- Both Teams To Score (BTTS) has come through in three of their previous four H2Hs.
Bologna vs Roma preview: Nothing to split sides in first leg?
| Bologna | vs | Roma |
|---|---|---|
| 8th | Position | 5th |
| 39 | Points | 51 |
| 37 | Goals For | 38 |
| 34 | Goals Against | 21 |
| 8 | Clean Sheets | 12 |
| 12th | Home Rank | 4th |
| 5th | Away Rank | 6th |
The table shows that in Serie A so far this season, Roma beat Bologna for a lot of key stats, but one that the hosts have over their opponents is their away rank.
Indeed, this should give them some encouragement with Roma not being the best on their travels.
Another close metric, albeit slightly in the visitors' favour, is the goals scored, with Roma netting just one more than their opponent.
Bologna are unbeaten in four home H2Hs (W2, D2).
This suggests that the scoreline could be tight between the two teams, and with six sides outscoring them in the division so far, perhaps we should not expect too many goals.
In terms of the UEL, there was also not much to split the teams in the league phase, with Roma finishing just one point and two places above Bologna after eight matches.
Bologna also scored one more goal (14) than their opponent (13), but also conceded one more (seven) than Roma's six.
Evan Ndicka's four goals this season have all come after HT.
Both sides also had identical records in the second half of the league phase campaign, winning three and drawing once in an unbeaten finish.
Nonetheless, these metrics point towards a tight first leg, with all to play for in the second.
Bologna vs Roma form guide & betting tips
| Bologna | vs | Roma |
|---|---|---|
| W-W-W-W-L | Form | W-D-W-D-L |
| 6 | Points | 8 |
| 7th | Form Table | 10th |
| 5 | Goals For | 11 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 7 |
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Whispers predicts: Bologna 1-1 Roma
The formbook is with Bologna in terms of their last five games in all competitions, but bet365 have Roma as the 6/4 favourites.
We are happy to go against the visitors in this case, and the draw certainly appeals at 2/1.
Bologna do not tend to score many goals, but they do not leak many either, so we could see a low-scoring game.
Under 2.5 goals seems a safe bet at 4/7, but BTTS could also come into consideration at 19/20 given it has come through in three of the last four meetings.
In terms of a potential outside bet, Evan Ndicka boasts four goals from centre-back this season, and with Gianluca Mancini suspended, Roma will be looking to him to lead from defence.
After scoring against Genoa last time out, Ndicka can be backed at 11/1 to net again.
> BTTS - Yes at 19/20 | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result - Draw at 2/1 | Likelihood: Possible
> Evan Ndicka to score anytime at 11/1 | Likelihood: Outsider