BOLOGNA v AC MILAN: MATCH PREVIEW

We turn our attention back to Serie A. The trip to Porto in the Champions League is now behind us and Stefano Pioli's men take on Siniša Mihajlović's Bologna. The game gets underway this evening at 20:45 CEST. We've arrived at matchday 9, almost halfway through the girone d'andata. It is a crossroads for the season and certainly a juncture not to be missed. Here's our analysis of the match.

LATEST FROM MILANELLO
After an away defeat in the Champions League, the Rossoneri returned to Milanello early on Wednesday morning and immediately got to work in preparation for today's game. In regards to the trip to Portugal, Stefano Pioli has no new returnees from injury and will have to make do without Díaz and Hernández - both still with COVID-19 - Florenzi, Kessie, Messias, Pellegri, Rebić and the long-term absentees in Maignan and Plizzari. We go into this one with 22 points in the bank following seven wins, one draw and fresh from an incredible comeback against Hellas Verona at San Siro. The Rossoneri will need to put in a big performance at the Dall'Ara if they are to maintain their brilliant early-season form in the league.

"We're not in trouble; it's just something that can happen in a busy season," said head coach Stefano Pioli. "The team will be competitive tomorrow and the lads will be ready to put in a great performance. Bologna are very adept at sitting back and hitting you on the break; they're a tough team to face. Bologna have gone with a different system in recent weeks; they are a really focused team with a lot of individual quality. The players, who are available, are all doing well; we'll take stock of what kind of match it might be and we'll make our selections on that basis."

LATEST FROM BOLOGNA
Siniša Mihajlović is without two players for today's game: Kevin Bonifazi (muscle) and Michael Kingsley (fractured fibula). Following Kingsley's long term injury, the Rossoblù went to the transfer market and brought in Nicolas Viola, who was out of contract after his sting with Benevento. Bologna have no players out through suspension, though Nicolás Domínguez would pick up a ban with his next booking. Siniša could go with the same 3-4-2-1 system used in their most recent outings against Lazio and Udinese: Soriano and Barrow supporting lone striker Arnautović, a four-man midfield with De Silvestri on the right, Svanberg and Domínguez in the middle and Hickey on the left. The back three will likely consist of Theate, Medel (or Binks) and Soumaoro.

"I always prefer to play against the best, so it's a shame that Theo Hernández and Díaz are both out," Mihajlović said. "AC Milan are second in the table and have often been punished by the little moments. They're playing well and turned it around against Verona. Pioli is doing a great job. It'll be a tough game, as it is for every team that plays against the Rossoneri. We'll need to take our chances because they will certainly do the same." 

PRE-MATCH
AC Milan are on the hunt for a sixth consecutive win against Bologna and are unbeaten at the Dall'Ara since 2001/02 (2-0: Fresi and Cruz). The last two games away at Bologna have been fruitful for the Rossoneri: 3-2 win on 8 December 2019 (Piątek, Theo and Bonaventura) and 2-1 last season (30 January 2021) thanks to goals from Rebić and Kessie. The Rossoblù have started the season well. They are on 12 points following three wins, three draws and two defeats. Ten of these twelve points have come at home. Their best results so far this season are the draw in Bergamo (0-0) and a rampant 3-0 win at home to Lazio. Ten points separate the two sides but Bologna are in great form at the Dall'Ara this season.  

LATEST FROM SERIE A
Paolo Valeri will referee Bologna v AC Milan; he has, until now, refereed 208 games in Serie A. His assistants will be Bercigli and Berti as linesmen, Minelli as fourth official and Chiffi (assisted by Mondin) on VAR. He has refereed the Rossoneri on 31 occasions; of these matches, AC Milan have won 20, drawn four and lost seven. The most recent of these matches was the 3-0 against Juventus in Turin on 9 May 2021. 

Bologna v AC Milan is the fifth match on Serie A matchday 9, after Torino 3-2 Genoa, Sampdoria 2-1 Spezia, Salernitana 2-4 Empoli and Sassuolo (18:00 CEST) Venezia. On Sunday, meanwhile, the schedule is: Atalanta v Udinese (12:30 CEST), Fiorentina v Cagliari (15:00 CEST), Hellas Verona v Lazio (15:00 CEST), Roma v Napoli (18:00 CEST) and Inter v Juventus (20:45 CEST).

Here are the current Serie A standings: Napoli 24; Milan 22; Inter 17; Roma 15; Lazio, Juventus and Atalanta 14; Bologna, Empoli* and Fiorentina 12; Torino* 11; Sampdoria* and Udinese 9; Hellas Verona, Sassuolo and Venezia 8; Spezia* 7; Genoa* and Cagliari 6; Salernitana* 4.

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