Bologna (home team)
- Bologna F.C. will be looking to finish the job in the second leg of their Europa League knockout playoff against SK Brann Bergen at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on Thursday.
- The Serie A side were hard to beat on their trip to Bergen, and they returned home with a precious 1 - 0 advantage to defend.
- Bologna’s home advantage and superior European experience should be enough to get them over the line and into the next round, but it might not be as easy as the odds suggest.
- Vincenzo Italiano’s side have been much more consistent in Europe, where their pressing style and pace in wide areas has suited the structure of the game.
Brann (away team)
- Brann, one of Norway’s top sides after finishing third in the 2025 Eliteserien, are on a great run and they could be competitive in the first half of this return leg.
- SK Brann played with plenty of energy and controlled the ball well in the home first leg, but were unlucky to go behind when Mathias Dyngeland’s goalkeeping error helped Bologna take the lead.
- Brann’s top scorer Sævar Atli Magnússon is a danger man up front and has been a leading scorer domestically and in Europe.
- Dyngeland is back between the posts for the return, so there could be some added pressure on him.
Key Players
- Bologna
- They have a top-quality forward in Riccardo Orsolini and Federico Bernardeschi is a key wide outlet in Europe.
- Lukasz Skorupski has been superb for Bologna in Europe, using his experience and reflexes to maintain their narrow leads, particularly in Norway.
- Brann
- Sævar Atli Magnússon is a danger man up front and has been a leading scorer domestically and in Europe.
- Brann will rotate players through their midfield to maintain the ball, with Joachim Soltvedt and Denzel De Roeve looking to control the pace and energy in the center.
Betting Insights
- Bologna are favourites to win the matchup with odds of 1.39.
- Brann are outsiders with odds of 8.4 and the draw is 4.35.
- This could be a cagey affair and under 2.5 goals at evens looks like a safe play.
- Both teams to score at 1.95 is a slightly better choice for risk-takers.
Prediction
- Bologna’s counter attacking pace and ability to overload the wide areas should be key to winning the game and Orsolini’s creativity from the right is their greatest threat.
- Brann will be desperate to score an away goal and Magnússon might be their best hope of doing it.
