Overview
Bologna entered the match against Torino with a new look after changing on the coaching bench. Immediately after the defeat against Napoli last week, Domenico Tedesco was sacked and Raffaele Palladino was appointed head coach under a 3-year contract.
The decision was made by Bologna's leadership after the team's disappointing start in Serie A in the 2026-2027 season. After 4 rounds, Bologna has only won 1 point, the club's worst record since 2018.
Notably, both of Bologna's goals in the tournament came in a 2-2 draw against Sassuolo. Artem Dovbyk's late goal helped them avoid defeat and if it weren't for that moment, Bologna risked going empty-handed after scoring 56 shots in the first 4 matches of the season.
Palladino is expected to quickly make a change, initially improving Bologna's home record. They have lost 10 of their last 16 matches at Renato Dall'Ara stadium, a statistic showing that the new coach still has a lot of work to do.
However, head-to-head history gives Bologna a certain foothold. Torino has not won in their last 10 away games at Dall'Ara in Serie A. The last time Granata defeated Bologna was in March 2023. Since then, Torino has only scored 3 goals in the matches between the two teams.
Torino's current form has also not brought many positive signs.
Ignazio Abate's team had a difficult start when they successively lost to AC Milan and Sassuolo, before being eliminated from the Coppa Italia by Monza. Torino then found their first victory in Serie A with a 2-1 comeback against Fiorentina.
However, the joy did not last long. In the away match against Roma, Torino suffered a 0-2 defeat at home. They conceded goals at the end of each half and could not find an equalizer.
Torino has lost 3 of the first 4 rounds in Serie A. This is only the third time in the club's history that they have fallen into this situation.
Pressure is gradually increasing on Abate, especially when Bologna also desperately needs a victory to get out of the bottom group. The confrontation at Dall'Ara is therefore of great significance to both teams.
Personnel situation
Although often prioritizing a three-defender formation, Raffaele Palladino is likely to wait until after the international break to make major changes in Bologna's squad.
Notably, number one goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski may return to the goal after Massimo Pessina, a 18-year-old goalkeeper, was unexpectedly given a starting spot in the match against Napoli.
On Torino's side, Cesare Casadei is ready to return, while Che Adams is sidelined due to a thigh muscle injury.
Adams is the only player from both teams to score more than one goal in Serie A this season. The injury also caused the Scottish striker to miss the upcoming national team training camp.
Expected lineup:
Skorupski, Holm, Heggem, Theate, Miranda, Ferguson, Pobega, Bernardeschi, Odgaard, Cambiaghi, Piccoli.
Perri, Comuzzo, Coco, Comert, Belghali, Fitz-Jim, Mandragora, Gineitis, Cacciamani, Vlasic, Simeone.
The match between Bologna and Torino takes place at 8:00 PM on September 19 (Vietnam time).
