Bologna vs Fiorentina Prediction - Serie A: A Challenge for Top 10 Ambitions

At 9:00 PM on January 18, 2026, Bologna will host Fiorentina at the Stadio Renato Dal'Ara. This is a pivotal match for both teams: one aiming for a European qualification spot, the other struggling in a fierce relegation battle.

Current league standings and form

Bologna enters this match in 8th place in the league table, with 30 points after 20 rounds. The home team maintains a consistent scoring record with an average of 1.5 goals per game, while their defense only concedes 1.1 goals per game. However, their form in the last 5 matches has somewhat stagnated with only 1 win, 2 draws, and 2 losses.

On the other side of the battlefield, Fiorentina is experiencing a difficult season, currently sitting 18th with only 14 points. Despite their low position, the team's recent form shows clear signs of improvement. In their last five matches, they have secured two wins, two draws, and suffered only one defeat. Notably, Fiorentina is still searching for their first away win of the season after 10 away games.

Head-to-head history and key statistics

In their last five encounters, the balance has slightly tipped in favor of Bologna with two wins, while Fiorentina won one match and the two teams drew twice. In the first leg, which took place in October 2025, the two teams delivered an exciting back-and-forth match that ended in a 2-2 draw.

Force situation

Bologna, the home team, is facing personnel issues in their defense. F. Bernardeschi is definitely absent due to a collarbone injury, along with the absence of K. Bonifazi and J. Lucumi. These losses could make Bologna's defense more vulnerable to pressure from the visiting team.

Fiorentina also lacked their strongest squad as T. Lamptey suffered a knee injury. More worryingly, the availability of key attacking duo E. Dzeko and M. Kean remains uncertain due to leg and ankle injuries. If these forwards do not recover in time, the visitors' attacking power will be significantly diminished.

Tactical analysis and predictions

Despite Bologna having home advantage and a higher ranking, experts believe Fiorentina is the team more likely to spring a surprise. With a 90% probability of the away team winning or drawing (45% for each scenario), this is seen as a match where "The Viola" will put in maximum effort to earn points.

The match is predicted to be tight with few goals (under 2.5). Fiorentina's disciplined style of play and desire to escape the relegation zone could help them hold their ground at Dal'Ara. The safe bet for this match is a draw or an away win.

Team lineup updated at 20:23 on 18/01/2026

Official lineup

Bologna

Diagram: 4-2-3-1

CoachVincenzo Italiano

Starting lineup:

• 13. Federico Ravaglia (G)
• 2. Emil Holm (D)
• 41. Martin Vitík (D)
• 14. Torbjørn Heggem (D)
• 33. Juan Miranda (D)
• 4. Tommaso Pobega (M)
• 8. Remo Freuler (M)
• 7. Riccardo Orsolini (M)
• 21. Jens Odgaard (M)
• 28. Nicolò Cambiaghi (M)
• 9. Santiago Castro (F)

Substitutes:

• 1. Łukasz Skorupski
• 25. Massimo Pessina
• 16. Nicolò Casale
• 22. Charalampos Lykogiannis
• 29. Lorenzo De Silvestri
• 20. Nadir Zortea
• 6. Nikola Moro
• 19. Lewis Ferguson
• 80. Giovanni Fabbian
• 30. Benjamín Domínguez
• 77. Ibrahim Sulemana
• 11. Jonathan Rowe
• 24. Thijs Dallinga
• 17. Ciro Immobile

Fiorentina

Diagram: 4-3-3

CoachPaolo Vanoli

Starting lineup:

• 43. David De Gea (G)
• 2. Dodo (D)
• 15. Pietro Comuzzo (D)
• 5. Marin Pongračić (D)
• 21. Robin Gosens (D)
• 44. Nicolò Fagioli (M)
• 8. Rolando Mandragora (M)
• 27. Cher Ndou (M)
• 65. Fabiano Parisi (F)
• 91. Roberto Piccoli (F)
• 10. Albert Guðmundsson (F)

Substitutes:

• 53. Oliver Christensen
• 1. Luca Lezzerini
• 60. Eddy Kouadio
• 6. Luca Ranieri
• 62. Luís Balbo
• 23. Eman Košpo
• 4. Marco Brescianini
• 14. Hans Nicolussi Caviglia
• 7. Simon Sohm
• 19. Solomon Manor
• 29. Niccolò Fortini
• 22. Jacopo Fazzini
• 61. Riccardo Braschi