Serie A: Juventus Can Cement a Top Four Place

Juventus vs Bologna

Fourth faces eighth in a tasty top flight clash on Sunday when Serie A: Juventus vs Bologna is the entertainment on offer at the Allianz Arena in Turin.

The current league table shows Luciano Spalletti’s side sitting in the last automatic Champions League slot, two points ahead of fifth placed Como and three behind AC Milan in third. Juventus met Atalanta last week and came out 1-0 winners, while their next opponents, Bologna, beat Lecce 2-0.  

I Rossoblu, managed by Vincenzo Italiano have performed well in recent weeks to climb up into the top half of the table, and they are still in Europa League action, hoping to overturn a 3-1 deficit in a quarter final second leg tie away to Aston Villa on Thursday. So with a week to prepare, against a busy side some 12 points and four places adrift in the table, I Bianconeri is expecting a win.

With Como away to Sassuolo on Friday night there is little margin of error for Juventus and, on a strong run with 13 points from their last five games I expect the Old Lady to put her foot down.

 

Talking Points

Spalletti contract gives Juve stability  

While second placed Napoli have not yet given up on the Scudetto race, the chasing pack have, and are battling for European places, and Juventus is in the thick of it. Out of the Champions League, the club could end the season in disappointment if they give their rivals an inch; but the board has taken steps to secure the club’s future by extending the contract of Spalletti.

With Juve floundering the former Napoli and Italy manager took over at the end of October and he has made good progress since the turn of the year. He had a deal which took him to the end of June with an option to extend, and the club has exercised that option without delay, extending the contract to 2028. He now has the chance to take a longer term view and Juventus are already ready for Spalletti to assemble a side, next summer, which can get back into Scudetto contention.

Premier League stars Bernardo Silva and Alisson Becker have already been mentioned in the Turin press while Jeremy Boga, on loan from Nice is another target. The Ivorian midfielder scored the winner against La Dea last week, to make it four goals from nine games and Juve are keen to make his loan from Nice permanent.

And when you look at the existing quality in the Juventus squad, three or four top quality additions will make Spalletti’s team competitive. Turkish winger Kenan Yildiz, with ten goals and six assists, has been the standout performer while skipper Manuel Locatelli provides calm assurance in midfield. They should have enough to secure a top four place but, while the Juventus vs Bologna betting odds say the Old Lady should pick up all three points on Sunday, it won’t be a stroll in the park. 

 

Bologna are back on the climb

Three wins from the last four league games, against Sassuolo, Cremonese and Lecce has lifted Bologna up the table with a defeat to Lazio the only blot in recent Serie A games. They also lost that first leg Europa match at home to Aston Villa and, with nine points to make up on sixth placed Roma in the league, Bologna’s campaign may have a subdued ending, after winning the Coppa Italia last term, a first major trophy in fifty years.      

But the team has gathered some useful momentum and put in a strong performance to beat Lecce last week. Midfield ace and captain Remo Freuler opened the scoring and Riccardo Orsolini made it 2-0 with his eighth goal of the campaign, while defender Jhon Lucumi was a power of strength at the back…and the Colombian star will need another big performance on Sunday.   

 

History

Bologna have won just one of 41 meetings with I Bianconeri, drawing 12 and losing 28; but they did get that solitary victory at the Allianz Stadium and have drawn on their last two visits there. Juventus did win the last meeting, in Bologna 1-0, as Juan Cabal climbed off the bench to secure all three points.

While the head to head Juventus vs Bologna results have been historically one sided, both teams come into this clash in good form, Juventus have won four and drawn two of their last six games while Bologna have won four and lost two.       

 

Betting Tip

Juventus are heavily odds on at a price of 1.50 to win this clash, with Bologna at 6.50 and the draw at 4.33. The Old Lady has conceded just one goal in five games and will be very hard to break down. So, for an alternative bet, Under 2.50 goals is priced at 2.00 while the most likely score line is 2-0 to Juventus at SBOTOP odds of 6.45.

Bologna’s Thursday commitment away to Aston Villa many well turn out to be an unnecessary distraction, but Italiano will have to take a strong squad to Birmingham with the tie still alive. 

And I’m afraid that will make things even harder for I Rossoblu.   

   

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