Bologna host Juventus at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on Friday night in Serie A, as the Rossoblu hope to put the skids on the Bianconeri’s winning streak of 15 league games in a row stretching back to the end of October.
The home side will by buoyed by Sunday’s 1-0 victory away to Udinese thanks to a 79th minute goal by top scorer Mattia Destro, and they have looked a different side since Roberto Donadoni took the reins back in October.
The Rossoblu were 18th when the former AC Milan midfielder took over from Delio Rossi and now sit in 10th position on 33 points after gameweek 25. The Felsinei have being very inconsistent at the Stadio Dall’Ara though, suffering six defeats already, while four victories and three draws make their tally of 15 points on their home patch from 13 games.
The Old Lady, meanwhile, have Inter’s record of 17 Serie A wins in a row firmly in their sights as they head to Bologna, and will be boosted by last Saturday’s 1-0 win over former leaders Napoli at the Juventus Stadium.
That win sent the Bianconeri to the top of the standing for the first time this season on 57 points after gameweek 25, one point ahead of the Partenopei in second. Since losing to Sassuolo 1-0 away at the end of October the Old Lady have now won eight straight games on the road, scoring 23 goals in the process and only conceding four.
When the two sides met earlier in the season at the Juventus Stadium, the Old Lady ran out 3-1 winners with goals from Alvaro Morata, Paulo Dybala and Sami Khedira.
The Bianconeri have also won the last two encounters at the Stadio Dall’Ara between the sides and are looking for their sixth straight victory over Bologna in Serie A on Friday. The Rossoblu have only beaten Juve once in the past eight encounters, and haven’t tasted victory at the Stadio Dall’Ara over the Old Lady since November 1998.
In team news, the Rossoblu have a doubt over first-choice goalkeeper Antonio Mirante, while defender Luca Rossettini is not expected back for another couple of weeks.
The Old Lady are expected to rest Leonardo Bonucci with their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich next Tuesday in mind after the defender suffered a knock against Napoli, while fellow centre-back Giorgio Chiellini is out until the end of March.
Goalscoring hero against Napoli, Simone Zaza, is set to replace Morata and partner the Bianconeri’s 13 goal top scorer Dybala up front.
Form Guide: Bologna (W-W-L-D-W) Juventus (W-W-W-W-W)
Expected Starting XIs
Bologna (4-3-3) : Da Costa; Ferrari, Oikonomou, Gastaldello, Masina; Donsah, Diawara, Taider; Mounier, Destro, Giaccherini
Juventus (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Rugani, Evra; Sturaro, Marchisio, Pogba; Pereyra; Zaza, Dybala.
