Two top-four contenders clash on Thursday evening, as Bologna and AC Milan finally play out a rescheduled Serie A fixture cancelled four months ago.
Level on points, both need to win their game in hand to make up lost ground after losing last weekend.
Match preview
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After making a calamitous exit from Europe - having let victory slip from their grasp against injury-hit Feyenoord in the Champions League playoffs - Milan's week went from bad to worse when suffering an avoidable 2-1 defeat to Torino on Saturday.
Malick Thiaw became only the second Milan player to score two own goals against one team in a single season - albeit he is in good company, as the other was club legend Franco Baresi - and Christian Pulisic saw a penalty saved as they came away from Turin empty-handed.
Thwarted by several Vanja Milinkovic-Savic saves, including Pulisic's spot-kick miss, the Rossoneri endured a frustrating game, continuing their inconsistent streak since lifting the Supercoppa Italiana.
Sergio Conceicao started his reign with a bang by claiming success in that competition, but his side now face an eight-point deficit to fourth-placed Juventus in the race for Champions League qualification.
Worryingly, before heading to Emilia-Romagna to play their game in hand, they have also lost four of their last five away matches across all competitions - two in Serie A and two in Europe.
Milan may be behind the pace in terms of finishing among the top four, but they will now meet their favourite opponents: the second-city giants are unbeaten in 17 league meetings with Bologna, winning 13 times since their last loss in 2016 - the club's longest active streak without defeat.
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Furthermore, Bologna have not won any of their last 18 contests with Milan at Stadio Dall'Ara - and that dismal run dates all the way back to 2002.
Like their visitors - who were originally due to arrive in October, before adverse weather conditions saw the match postponed at short notice - the Emilian side are locked in a multi-club battle to claim European places.
They lost some ground on Saturday, when losing 2-0 to local rivals and Serie A strugglers Parma, as their undefeated streak in the league came to its conclusion.
Vincenzo Italiano's men had been one of only three unbeaten teams since the start of 2025, so they still sit eighth, just behind the main contenders for access to UEFA's top competition.
After last term's unexpected top-five finish, fourth place may be required to make the Champions League this year, due to recent Italian results in Europe; so, Bologna are intent on overtaking Fiorentina and closing the gap to Lazio and Juventus.
Finally beating Milan at the Dall'Ara would be a big step in the right direction, and they head into Thursday's clash having lost just one league game on home turf this season.
Team News
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Both Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Kyle Walker have been following personalised training programs as they move closer towards returning from injury, but neither will be ready to feature for Milan in midweek.
With Emerson Royal also sidelined, Walker's absence could see Alex Jimenez fill in at right-back, but Davide Bartesaghi and Filippo Terracciano are also in contention.
After a few failed experiments, Sergio Conceicao may disband his so-called 'Fab Four', leaving either Christian Pulisic, Joao Felix or Rafael Leao on the bench in search of more stability; Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez should keep his place.
Meanwhile, Bologna are only missing Emil Holm, as Jens Odgaard has returned to training ahead of schedule and could be named on the bench.
Vincenzo Italiano may make changes after losing to Parma - and with Cagliari due to visit the Dall'Ara on Sunday. Lukasz Skorupski is set to return in goal, while top scorer Riccardo Orsolini should also be brought back into the staring lineup.
Elsewhere, ex-Milan men Tommaso Pobega and Davide Calabria - the latter of whom was the Rossoneri's club captain until last month - could keep their places.
Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Calabria, Beukema, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Pobega; Orsolini, Ferguson, Ndoye; Castro
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Jimenez, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Fofana, Musah; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Gimenez
We say: Bologna 1-1 AC Milan
Bologna are tough to beat on home soil, while Milan are amid an awful run of results on the road.
Doing neither side any favours in their quest to catch Italy's top four, a low-scoring draw could be on the cards.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
