Bologna commenced the 2010-11 campaign as one of the relegation candidates but the Felsinei seem to have created quite a gulf between themselves and the bottom-three.
At the weekend Alberto Malesani's side defeated Palermo 1-0 at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara to bounce back from their 3-1 loss to Sampdoria in Genoa. This means that Bologna are currently placed 12th in the Serie A standings with 32 points from 25 matches, a healthy nine points above the relegation zone.
Bologna have a formidable record at home as they have lost just once in the league all season in front of their own supporters. Having got the better of Palermo at home at the weekend, this time the Rossoblu will be confident of dishing out a similar fate to Roma, whom they had held to a 2-2 draw in Rome in the reverse fixture in September.
New Coach, New Spirit
Roma’s 4-3 defeat to Genoa at the weekend was the final straw that broke Claudio Ranieri’s back. 3-0 up just six minutes into the second-half, the Giallorossi conceded four times subsequently and lost their fourth competitive match in a row, third successive in Serie A.
The defeat left Roma dangling in eighth place in the league standings with 39 points from 25 matches and convinced – some would say forced – Ranieri to leave the Stadio Olimpico.
Vincenzo Montella has been appointed as the caretaker coach of Roma and the former Lupi player will have a tough task on his hand. Roma have lost seven times away from home in the league this season and are also low on confidence.
Montella, though, remains confident of a victory in his first game in charge of the former Italian champions and believes that he needs to un-block the team.
"I think the team's main problem is above all a mental block," said Montella on Tuesday. "The players are sensitive and they are carrying inside them this big weight.
"They need to free themselves from this burden, and this is the first step we need to take so that they can play to their true potential."
TEAM NEWS
Bologna
Ekdal and Garics are out injured for the home side.
Roma
Adriano and Perrotta are injured and will miss the trip to Bologna.
| Bologna | AS Roma |
| 12 | Ranking | 8 |
| Last 8 matches |
| 19 Feb | Bologna - Palermo | 1 - 0 | 4 - 3 | Genoa - AS Roma | 20 Feb | |
| 13 Feb | Sampdoria - Bologna | 3 - 1 | 0 - 2 | AS Roma - Napoli | 12 Feb | |
| 6 Feb | Bologna - Catania | 1 - 0 | 5 - 3 | Inter Milan - AS Roma | 6 Feb | |
| 2 Feb | Udinese - Bologna | 1 - 1 | 1 - 1 | AS Roma - Brescia | 2 Feb | |
| 23 Jan | Bologna - Lazio Roma | 3 - 1 | 3 - 0 | AS Roma - Cagliari | 22 Jan | |
| 15 Jan | Inter Milan - Bologna | 4 - 1 | 0 - 1 | Cesena - AS Roma | 16 Jan | |
| 9 Jan | Bari - Bologna | 0 - 2 | 2 - 1 | Sampdoria - AS Roma | 9 Jan | |
| 6 Jan | Bologna - Fiorentina | 1 - 1 | 4 - 2 | AS Roma - Catania | 6 Jan |
| Last 4 matches (Home) | Last 4 matches (Away) |
| 19 Feb | Bologna - Palermo | 1 - 0 | 4 - 3 | Genoa - AS Roma | 20 Feb | |
| 6 Feb | Bologna - Catania | 1 - 0 | 5 - 3 | Inter Milan - AS Roma | 6 Feb | |
| 23 Jan | Bologna - Lazio Roma | 3 - 1 | 0 - 1 | Cesena - AS Roma | 16 Jan | |
| 6 Jan | Bologna - Fiorentina | 1 - 1 | 2 - 1 | Sampdoria - AS Roma | 9 Jan |
Prediction
Bologna are in good form and with Roma struggling and also having changed coaches, they will be confident of garnering yet another victory. However, the Roma players will give their all to muster a point.
Bologna 1-1 Roma 
