The Serie A Matchday 1 clash between Roma and Bologna will take place on August 23 at the Stadio Olimpico. Roma vs. Bologna: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Roma
In the last championship, the team finished fifth with 69 points, just one point shy of the Champions League zone. Nevertheless, this is Roma's best result in Serie A over the past five seasons. Additionally, during the championship, the club achieved its longest unbeaten run since 2016, reaching 19 matches (14 wins, 5 draws). It's also worth noting that the Romans ranked third in points gained in home matches (41). In the off-season, the team played six friendly matches, winning four (1 draw, 1 loss).
During the summer transfer window, defender Samuel Dal and midfielder Enzo Le Fée left the club, while forward Eldor Shomurodov went out on loan. Meanwhile, defenders Daniele Gilardi and Wesley França, midfielders Leon Bailey and Nel El-Naoui, and forward Evan Ferguson joined the team. Additionally, the Romans will be led by new head coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
- The team has not lost in their last 12 home matches in Serie A (10 wins, 2 draws).
- No more than two goals were scored in 4 of the club's last 5 home league matches.
- The Romans scored exactly 1 or 2 goals in 5 of their last 6 home Serie A games.
Predicted lineup for Roma (3-4-3)
Mile Svilar – Evan Ndicka, Gianluca Mancini, Daniele Gilardi – Wesley França, Kouadio Koné, Bryan Cristante, Angeliño – Paulo Dybala, Evan Ferguson, Matías Soulé.
Midfielders Leon Bailey and Lorenzo Pellegrini are injured. Defender Zeki Çelik is suspended.
Bologna
The club finished last season in ninth place with 62 points, but secured a Europa League spot by winning the Coppa Italia. However, since the 2015/16 season, Bologna has only once finished higher in Serie A. Interestingly, the team was even contending for a Champions League spot but faltered at the end of the season, failing to win any of their last five matches (2 draws, 3 losses). In the off-season, Vincenzo Italiano's side played five friendlies, winning three (2 losses).
In the summer, the team was bolstered by defenders Martin Vitík, Nadir Zortea, and Nicolò Casale, midfielder Tommaso Pobega, and experienced forwards Federico Bernardeschi and Ciro Immobile. Meanwhile, Bologna parted ways with defender Sam Beukema and forward Dan Ndoye.
- The club has not won in 8 of their last 10 away matches in Serie A (4 draws, 4 losses).
- No more than two goals were scored in 6 of the team's last 9 away league matches.
- Bologna did not score more than once in 8 of their last 9 Serie A matches.
Predicted lineup for Bologna (4-5-1)
Lukasz Skorupski – Nadir Zortea, Martin Vitík, Jhon Lucumí, Charalampos Lykogiannis – Riccardo Orsolini, Remo Freuler, Jens Odgaard, Tommaso Pobega, Nicolò Cambiaghi – Santiago Castro.
Defender Emil Holm will not play due to injury. Defender Juan Miranda is suspended.
Referee
Luca Zufferli (Italy)
Matches – 15 (Serie A, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 42;
Average yellow cards per match – 2.8;
Red cards shown – 3;
Average fouls per match – 23;
Penalties – 20%.
Roma vs. Bologna: Match Prediction
The Romans feel confident at home and will surely try to extend their unbeaten home run and start the new season on a high note. The team is unbeaten in their last 12 home Serie A matches, with only two instances in this stretch where Roma did not secure the maximum result. Furthermore, in half of the matches during this period, the club also managed to keep a clean sheet.
Bologna, on the other hand, has recently struggled to achieve results on the road: in their last ten away Serie A matches, the team has only managed two wins (4 draws, 4 losses). Moreover, these victories came against lower-tier opponents like Verona and Venezia. Additionally, during this period, the club failed to score against teams such as Parma, Lecce, and Udinese.
I anticipate another strong performance from the Romans at home. My prediction: Roma with a handicap (0)
