Bologna vs. Borussia Dortmund - Champions League 2024/25
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This will be an extremely important Champions League encounter between the two, though it presents a big opportunity for very different reasons; Bologna welcomes Borussia Dortmund to the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on January 21, 2025. While Bologna finds their Champions League first campaign a hard nut to crack, Borussia Dortmund hopes this gets them on their feet gone askew in the just-concluded domestic league. Its one fight which shall be pretty interesting with lots at stake.
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Bologna's Not-So-Smooth European Sojourn
Entry into Europe's premier football competition has been anything but an exciting yet challenging one so far for Bologna. Fresh from last season's historic fifth-place finish in Serie A, Bologna qualified to the Champions League for the first time ever in its history. But it has been a path of adversity thus far. Under the stewardship of head coach Vincenzo Italiano, who succeeded Thiago Motta during the summer, Bologna does manage to convert its domestic success into form in Europe. Thus far, they could extract just two points from its opening six games and are now on the cusp of being eliminated from group-stage elimination.
One of the big problems with Bologna is the clear lack of attacking impetus.
The team has recorded just one goal so far - no side in the competition has scored fewer, and that against seven conceded. It was a run of just one win in the first 11 Serie A games at the start of this season which put a lot of pressure on Italiano. The recoveries have kept cropping up since then, though, including one which came along the avenue of seven in 12 victories on all fronts. Still, against Real, this comes with hopes they can cap a strong ending to the year - a result from their comfortable 3-1 win in the last outing at home against Monza.
That doesn't, however change the fact that Bologna's European record simply stands testimony to the tale of a side learning its ropes in the Champions League, for one hadn't been able to rise up to the demand placed on top-class European teams from a brilliant finish of last season in Serie A. With only three playoff positions left in their group, the mountain will be tall to climb in terms of qualifying and hence every point from now onwards will be crucial.
Mixed Season of Borussia Dortmund:
Having said that Bologna has been pretty poor in Champions League, Borussia Dortmund has maintained a decent spell. As of now, they stay at 9th with 12 points from six group stage matches so far. As convincing wins against Celtic, Club Brugge and Dinamo Zagreb all did very much boost qualification hopes, defeats by 2-0 against real powerhouses such as Real Madrid and Barcelona showed they are still a level below the best. While things may seem good in Europe for Dortmund at best, things in Germany have fared vastly differently. Doting the 10th position of the Bundesliga, the fans and management could only feel discontent with the form the team consistently failed to fight on the top position. A couple of weeks after that defeat came against Eintracht Frankfurt in mid-January with a 2-0 count that took the Schwarz-Gelben to double digits of defeats this term. With Sahin, who joined from Real Sociedad this summer, yet to improve their fortunes after a poor start into this season, speculations arise in heavy fancies on the possible tenure or demise of his coaches.
While Dortmund may be struggling in the Bundesliga, they have been one of this season's Champions League most prolific teams, returning 18 goals so far in the competition. But their attacking potent weapon carries much weight into this game against one of the most shy goal-scoring sides, Bologna. Their away form is bad and already lost eight times on the road this term. The missing Fortune of home and European success brings into this matchup some great contrast, especially when Dortmund chase improvement in a sketchy record on their travels, against a Bologna who are only left to keep their pride for dead rubbers on either front.
Team News and Key Players
On one note, probably among major headaches, injury has been with the Bologna squad. Michel Aebisher of Switzerland is ruled out for this. Even with Nicolo Cambiaghi and Oussama El Azzouzi back in training, they should not be counted on for this game. All hopes will once again rest on the heroics of star players like Andreas Skorupski in goal while Jens Odgaard, Riccardo Orsolini, and Mikkel Freuler forge a three-man attack if the visitors are to win this game. Even considering the tough phase this team has gone through, it has looked fairly solid and might resist this potent Dortmund attack.
Dortmund has also got injury problems. Niklas Süle's ankle problem was joined by two other injuries, while Ramy Bensebaini also will not take part in this match after being booked with three yellow cards during the group stages. In contrast, the talent within the ranks of Dortmund is aplenty. The attacking midfield trio of Giovanni Reyna, Karim Adeyemi, and Julian Brandt will be important if they are to break down Bologna's defense. Their pressing game then translates into an attacking depth that sees them score regularly in Europe, which further turns into an added advantage as they will meet a Bologna side which has struggled in front of the goal.
Tactical Breakdown: Bologna's Defence vs Dortmund's Attack
The only chances that might see them make something from this match lie through their usually impenetrable defense. Notwithstanding all their problems in Europe, they have managed to keep two clean sheets in this tournament so far, which goes to show that at times they manage to stifle opponents with attacking quality. Italiano will most likely have his team compact and well-organized as he looks to frustrate a high-powered Dortmund attack while hoping their set-pieces and counter-attacks give them any chance.
Dortmund, on the other hand, enter this match with expectations of dominant ownership of the ball to break the lines of Bologna's defense. An attack of such proportion would, hence be bound to make a dent through the weak link in Bologna and nail those important goals to as far possible in order not to reach a nervous situation or lose grip. However, Dortmund have been poor away from home, added to needing to be clinical in front of goal might not make most of their chances in hostile surroundings.
Head-to-Head and Previous Meetings
The two sides have played previously in the 2024/25 Champions League group stage, when Dortmund won 2-1 at home, but that outcome further underlined how big the gulf in experience and quality exists between the teams. On this occasion, though, Bologna seek to level the performance scores, not least because this is their first home match at this level in continental competition.
Match Prediction: Bologna 0-1 Borussia Dortmund
With the form coming into this match, Borussia Dortmund goes into this match as clear favorites. While Bologna has shown instances of defensive solidity, they usually lack any offensive firepower against a team with attacking depth like Dortmund. They will probably be dominated in terms of possession and create enough chances to edge out a win. A tough welcome it will be for the visitors, but lacking Champions League experience and in a spot of struggle lately, Bologna falls short in this one.
Both teams are going to hold this Champions League match in importance, but it may be the superior quality and standing of Dortmund in continental competitions that can give them an edge. All Bologna would really need is hard resilience to withstand, while the attacking threat is one that could serve Dortmund to bring all three points.
Prediction: Bologna 0-1 Borussia Dortmund
