Nearly two decades since they last reached the knockout stage of any UEFA competition, Norway’s SK Brann will welcome Bologna to Bergen on Thursday evening.
After the pair played out a goalless draw in Italy earlier this season, they now commence a two-legged playoff to meet either Roma or Freiburg in the Europa League‘s last 16.
Match preview
Despite losing their final league-phase fixture 1-0 to Austrian champions Sturm Graz, Brann still secured the final knockout spot by finishing 24th – the last available playoff place.
Having made a bright start, they only picked up one point from their last three matches, previously losing 4-0 to Turkish giants Fenerbahce before playing out a frantic 3-3 draw with Nordic neighbours Midtjylland.
Yet, Freyr Alexandersson‘s side still eked through, matching the club’s best performance in Europe’s second-tier competition – losing to Deportivo La Coruna in the last 32 of the 2007-08 UEFA Cup.
Brann finished fourth in Norway’s Eliteserien last year, earning qualification to next season’s Conference League, but they have since been in mid-winter hibernation domestically.
A new campaign kicks off midway through next month, but they must first try to reach the Europa League’s last 16: having held 10-man Bologna to a draw on matchday four, they will face a familiar foe in the playoffs.
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While Brann scraped through the league phase on goal difference, Bologna finished their campaign with six more points, claiming 10th place.
That was not quite enough to secure automatic entry to the last 16, so Vincenzo Italiano‘s side must take a longer route to the latter stages.
After suffering a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on the opening matchday, Bologna were unbeaten in their next seven fixtures, culminating with last month’s 3-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv.
The Rossoblu have already posted their best undefeated streak in Europe since 1971, and they will now play a first UEFA knockout tie for 26 years.
By contrast with their continental feats, Italiano’s Coppa Italia winners – who also took part in last term’s Champions League – have recently slumped down the Serie A standings, winning just two of their last 13 league matches.
The second of those rare wins arrived on Sunday, when Santiago Castro‘s strike secured a 2-1 victory against Torino, quelling talk of a crisis at the Emilian club.
Now a distant eighth place in the table, Bologna’s cup defence had just been ended by Lazio, following a dismal 4-1 defeat on penalties. That surely closed their last domestic route back into Europe, leaving the Europa League as their primary focus.
When the Rossoblu last met Brann, in early November, they were on an eight-game unbeaten streak and were challenging for the Champions League places – now, they head for Norway a diminished force.
SK Brann Europa League form:
W D D L D L
SK Brann form (all competitions):
L D W L D L
Bologna Europa League form:
D W D L D W
Bologna form (all competitions):
W L L L L W
Team News
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Brann have been without competitive football over the past few weeks, but they are still burdened by a long injury list.
Saevar Atli Magnusson, Sakarias Opsahl, Eggert Aron Gudmundsson, Jonas Torsvik, Niklas Jensen Wassberg and Niklas Castro are all unavailable.
Bologna also snapped up 20-year-old defender Eivind Fauske Helland in the winter transfer window; albeit, Ghanaian centre-back Nana Boakye has proved an able replacement.
Two Brann midfielders shone during the league phase: Jacob Sorensen won the joint-most duels overall (62), while Emil Kornvig scored three goals. However, the latter has since left for Widzew Lodz.
Meanwhile, Riccardo Orsolini, Federico Bernardeschi and Thijs Dallinga were Bologna’s leading scorers, each finding the net three times.
Set to rotate his squad – despite finally celebrating a Serie A victory on Sunday – Italiano has doubts over Norwegian defender Torbjorn Heggem, and three other players will certainly miss out.
Both Helland and veteran full-back Lorenzo De Silvestri have been omitted from the updated UEFA squad list; January signings Joao Mario and Simon Sohm were included.
Furthermore, Charalampos Lykogiannis – who was sent off in the league-phase game against Brann – is still sidelined by a flexor problem.
SK Brann possible starting lineup:
Dyngeland; De Roeve, Knudsen, Boakye, Soltvedt; Mhyre, Sorensen, Pedersen; Haaland, Mathisen, Holm
Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Zortea, Lucumi, Casale, Miranda; Ferguson, Pobega; Orsolini, Odgaard, Dominguez; Dallinga
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We say: SK Brann 1-1 Bologna
Setting up a tense second leg at Stadio Dall’Ara, these sides should play out their second stalemate of the season.
Brann may be short of peak fitness due to a lack of domestic action, but Bologna remain very vulnerable at the back.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.