Bologna vs Udinese: Prediction, H2H and probable lineups — February 23, 2026
This Sunday, February 22, at the Renato Dall'Ara Stadium, Bologna will host Udinese. After a grueling week of European competition, Bologna must quickly refocus on the domestic league, where the race for European spots next season is heating up.
Match preview
Bologna, under the guidance of Vincenzo Italiano, currently resemble a tireless marathon runner. The team has just returned from Norway, where on February 19 they battled to a hard-fought 1-0 win over Brann in the Europa League. That trip surely drained plenty of energy, especially given the logistics and tough weather conditions. In Serie A, Bologna sit inside the top eight, fighting to stay in the European qualification chase. However, with 33 points, they trail nearest rivals Atalanta by nine. At home at the Dall'Ara, Italiano’s side play aggressive football, looking to dominate with possession and high pressing, but fatigue from their European efforts could force the manager to rotate his squad.
Udinese this season are the classic solid mid-table side. Under Kosta Runjaić, they've become more organized and pragmatic. The Friulians are 11th and feeling comfortable—safe from relegation, but not pushing for the top spots. Udinese have enjoyed a full week to prepare, giving them a significant freshness advantage. They're excellent at set pieces and use the physicality of their strikers to full effect. In recent rounds, they've consistently picked up points against teams juggling European and domestic duties, so this trip to Bologna is a great opportunity for them to grab a result.
Tactically, expect a clash of control versus counter-attack. Bologna will look to dominate possession, while Udinese will set up a compact defensive block, banking on their forwards' pace and mistakes from Bologna's tired defenders. Bologna’s key man remains Orsolini, whose inside runs always create chaos, while for the visitors, keep an eye on Lucca, who has been outstanding in aerial duels this season.
Probable lineups
Bologna: Skorupski; Mario, Casale, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Ferguson; Orsolini, Odgaard, Rowe; Castro
Udinese: Okoye; Bertola, Kristensen, Solet; Ehizibue, Atta, Karlstrom, Ekkelenkamp, Zemura; Zaniolo; Bayo
Match facts and head-to-head
- In the last five meetings between these teams, there have been three draws, one Udinese win, and one Bologna win
- Bologna have conceded in four of their last five matches, but won two of those games
- Udinese have won two of their last five, lost three, and conceded at least once in four of those matches
Prediction
I expect an end-to-end match: both sides need points and both have defensive vulnerabilities. My prediction: total goals over 2 at 1.58
