Bologna will have to make do without leading goalscorer Joshua Zrikzee for Friday evening’s visit to Empoli in Serie A, but Thiagoo Motta has called in Jens Odgaard in place of the sought-after Dutchman.
The Rossoblu will also be without Jesper Karlsson and the long-term injured Adama Soumaoro, but otherwise have a fully fit and available squad for the test against Davide Nicola’s side.
Nicola also has a handful of absentees to factor in, including the injured Ardian Ismajli and Jacopo Fazzini, who misses out through suspension. Ravzan Marin was a doubt heading into the game.
Bologna will stick to their preferred 4-1-4-1 system, with Remo Freuler, Kacper Urbanski and Lewis Ferguson selected as the three central midfielders. Dan Ndoye and Alexis Saelemaekers start out wide in support of Odgaard up front.
Bologna look to get back to winning ways against 17th-placed Empoli. Thiago Motta’s side had won six Serie A matches in succession before slipping to a 1-0 defeat at home to league leaders Inter last weekend.
Kick off between Empoli and Bologna is set for 19.45 GMT.
Empoli vs. Bologna – Confirmed line-ups
Empoli (3-4-2-1): Caprile; Bereszynski, Walukiewicz, Luperto; Gyasi, Kovalenko, Maleh, Pezzella; Cambiaghi, Zurkowski; Niang.
Bologna (4-1-4-1): Skorupski; Beukema, Lucumi, Calafiori, Kristiansen; Freuler; Ndoye, Ferguson, Urbanski, Saelemaekers; Odgaard.
Player statistic
| Sebastiano Luperto |  |
28' | ||
| Giuseppe Pezzella | |
30' |
| Youssef Maleh | |
90+6' | ||
| Viktor Kovalenko | |
90+7' | ||
| 90+4' |  |
Giovanni Fabbian | ||
| 90+7' | |
Remo Freuler |
Match statistic
