15 December 2017
JUVE FINDING THEIR FORM
Massimiliano Allegri’s men have kept a clean sheet in their last five games in all competitions. The coach had been keen to highlight the fact that his team needed to work on tightening up their defence, and the Bianconeri backline has since shown signs of strong improvement.
Last time out, Juventus drew 0-0 at home against Inter, in a match where they came close to scoring on several occasions, the closest being Mario Mandzukic hitting the crossbar with a header just before the end of the first half.
The result meant that Juve remained in third place in the table after the weekend’s action, two points behind current Serie A pace-setters Inter.
MIXED BAG FOR BOLOGNA
Bologna’s season so far has them record six wins, six losses and three draws, with their heaviest win a 3-0 victory at home to Sampdoria in week 14, and their biggest defeat a 3-0 loss at home to Napoli in week three.
In the last round of fixtures, The Rossblu scored a late equaliser through Mattia Destro to earn a 1-1 draw at home to Cagliari, after Joao Pedro had opened the scoring for the visitors in the first half.
Bologna’s most notable captures in the summer both came from the Milan clubs, as they signed Rodrigo Palacio and Andrea Poli on free transfers from Inter and Milan respectively.
LAST TIME VS BOLOGNA
Last season, Juve took on Bologna at home in their first fixture of the calendar year in January, and it didn’t take the home side long to break the deadlock at the Allianz, as Gonzalo Higuain struck home Miralem Pjanic’s chipped through pass after seven minutes.
The Bianconeri were then awarded a penalty towards the end of the first half when Stefano Sturaro was felled inside the box. Paulo Dybala stepped up and La Joya sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 2-0 to Juventus at half-time. The result was made safe when Higuain scored his second of the match and Juve’s third when he headed in Stephan Lichtsteiner’s cross. Three-nil the final score.
La Vecchia Signora wrapped the season up at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara as they took on Bologna on the final day. Saphir Taider gave the home team the lead on 52 minutes, but Juve restored parity through Dybala. In the dying minutes of the match, substitute Moise Kean rose highest on a Juventus set-piece to score his first ever goal for the club and win the match 2-1: a classic end to a legendary league campaign for the Bianconeri.
#BOLOGNAJUVE MATCH STATS
- In 140 matches between the two in Serie A, Juve have won 69, they have drawn 48 times and Bologna have won 23.
- Bologna have won only once in their last 29 games against the Bianconeri.
- The Rossoblu have scored in their last six league games.
- The Bianconeri have kept a clean sheet in their last five in all competitions.
- Juventus have scored in their last 21 consecutive away league games.
- In Serie A Juve have the best percentage of shots on target (54%).
- Bologna's Simone Verdi has had a hand in five of their last seven goals (two goals, three assists).
- Gonzalo Higuain has five goals in five games against Bologna.
- Paulo Dybala and Simone Verdi have scored the most goals from outside the area this season.
- This campaign, Rossoblu's Orji Okwonkwo has averaged a goal every 36 minutes, more than any other player.
- Allegri is unbeaten as a coach against Bologna, with 10 wins and four draws.
- Bologna is the most cautioned team, with 42 yellow cards received so far.
