Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Europa League clash between FCSB and Bologna, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Winless after two matchdays in the Europa League, Bologna travel to FCSB on Thursday, aiming to secure their first win at the third time of asking.
The Bucharest-based hosts could not follow up a matchday one victory with another last time out when Young Boys beat them at the National Arena, and Elias Charalambous’s team strive to avoid consecutive home defeats this week.
Match preview
FCSB began their Europa League campaign with a 1-0 away victory over debutants Go Ahead Eagles, but a disappointing defeat at the hands of Young Boys brought them back to earth.
That 2-0 defeat on home soil means that the Red and Blues could not join Dinamo Zagreb, Midtjylland, Aston Villa, Braga, Lyon, Lille and Porto as the clubs with a 100% record in the 36-team league phase.
However, the setback was not fatal, given that the league phase is still in its early stages, with five more rounds to follow after this week’s matchday three fixtures.
Nevertheless, Charalambous’s team will aim for a favourable outcome on Thursday, as maximum points positions them firmly in the running for a coveted top-eight finish, guaranteeing automatic advancement to the last 16.
Currently occupying 24th place, the final spot for progress to the knockout playoffs, the Romanian heavyweights seek maximum points to break away from a cluster of 13 clubs on three points to climb the table.
Aiming to throw a spanner in the works of that ambition are Bologna, fresh off securing their first away victory in Serie A at the weekend.
Vincenzo Italiano‘s side needed goals from Emil Holm and Riccardo Orsolini to secure the victory in Sardinia, thus clinching their first win outside Emilia-Romagna across all competitions this season.
Hoping that success will inspire others, the 27th-placed Rossoblu aim to defeat Thursday’s hosts and record their first triumph in the competition at their third attempt.
Italiano’s troops are one of 12 teams that have yet to record victories in this year’s competition, a situation that the Italian club will strive to change on matchday three.
Success in Bucharest could elevate the Serie A club to as high as 11th, though that possibility depends on others remaining in place or results elsewhere favouring them.
What cannot be denied, however, is the importance of securing a maiden victory on the continent in this round of matches, to prevent the Rossoblu from falling behind in the race to reach either the top eight or the top 24 spots.
FCSB Europa League form:
FCSB form (all competitions):
Bologna Europa League form:
Bologna form (all competitions):
Team News
Joyskim Dawa is unquestionably absent due to a serious knee injury, along with Daniel Graovac (muscle) and Mihai Popescu (knee); meanwhile, Malcom Edjouma‘s status remains uncertain, having not appeared for FCSB since going off injured after 13 minutes in the previous round’s defeat to Young Boys.
Florin Tanase replaced Edjouma in that fixture, and the midfielder is likely to start as the Ros-albastrii aim to return to winning ways.
Tanase is also the Bucharest-based club’s top scorer in the league with eight goals, emphasising the versatile player’s decisive contributions.
Including qualifying, Daniel Birligea surpasses David Miculescu for goals scored — three and two, respectively — and both forwards are expected to start for the Romanians on Thursday.
Additionally, Vlad Chiriches, Alexandru Stoian and Ionut Cercel are unavailable for FCSB as they are ineligible for the league phase.
While Bologna do not have as many players ineligible, Ciro Immobile‘s absence from the squad is due to the hamstring injury he sustained against Roma in August.
With no injuries apparently sustained in the league victory at Cagliari, Italiano has a healthy squad to choose from in Romania, where they aim for a third-time lucky in Europe this season.
Orsolini, who scored in Sardinia after coming on the hour for Federico Bernardeschi, is expected to return to the XI.
The wide forward is the Rossoblu’s undisputed star, evidenced by his six goals this season and his four-match run without a blank for Italiano’s team.
FCSB possible starting lineup:
Tarnovanu; Cretu, Ngezana, Alhassan, Pantea; Sut, Tanase; Miculescu, Olaru, Thiam; Alibec
Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Holm, Vitik, Lucumi, Lykogiannis; Freuler, Ferguson; Orsolini, Odgaard, Cambiaghi; Castro
We say: FCSB 1-2 Bologna
Bologna’s direction in this season’s Europa League will be determined after Thursday’s visit to Bucharest, with Italiano’s team needing a positive result to demonstrate their commitment to climbing the table.
Considering FCSB’s anticipated defensive reshuffle due to Popescu’s likely absence and Orsolini’s remarkable goalscoring form for the Italian side, the Rossoblu are favoured to secure a win at the National Arena.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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