SK Brann vs Bologna: Prediction, Team News, Lineups Preview

Norway’s SK Brann is gearing up to face Bologna in an important UEFA playoff match on Thursday evening in Bergen. The two teams previously played to a 0-0 draw in Italy earlier this season. This playoff is crucial, as the winner will advance to meet either Roma or Freiburg in the Europa League’s last 16.

Match Preview

SK Brann, having not reached the knockout stage of any UEFA competition for nearly 20 years, scraped into the playoffs by finishing 24th in their league phase, the last available playoff spot. After a promising start, they struggled recently, earning only one point from their last three matches. Their last encounters included a 4-0 loss to Fenerbahce and a 3-3 draw against Midtjylland. Despite these setbacks, Brann matched their best performance in the competition, which was in the 2007-08 UEFA Cup when they reached the last 32.

Brann finished fourth in Norway’s Eliteserien last season, securing a spot in the upcoming season’s Conference League. However, the team has been inactive on the domestic front, as their new season begins next month. They will look to continue their European journey against a familiar opponent in Bologna.

Bologna’s Performance and Challenges

Bologna concluded their league campaign with a total of six more points than Brann, finishing 10th overall. Despite a slow start with a loss to Aston Villa, Bologna went unbeaten in their next seven games, culminating in a 3-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv. This marked their strongest undefeated streak in Europe since 1971.

However, Bologna’s recent form in Serie A has been concerning, winning only two of their last 13 matches. They sit in eighth place, and their Coppa Italia campaign ended in a disappointing defeat to Lazio. With no other domestic competitions left for European qualification, their focus is now solely on the Europa League.

Team News

SK Brann will enter the match without several key players due to injuries, including Saevar Atli Magnusson and Sakarias Opsahl. On the other hand, Bologna has also faced challenges, with new recruit Eivind Fauske Helland unavailable alongside veteran Lorenzo De Silvestri. Brazilian Joao Mario and Simon Sohm were added to the UEFA squad, while Charalampos Lykogiannis remains sidelined due to injury.

Starting Lineups

• SK Brann: Dyngeland; De Roeve, Knudsen, Boakye, Soltvedt; Mhyre, Sorensen, Pedersen; Mathisen, Holm, Thorsteinsson
• Bologna: Skorupski; Zortea, Lucumi, Heggem, Miranda; Ferguson, Pobega; Orsolini, Odgaard, Cambiaghi; Dallinga

Prediction

Both teams aim for a critical outcome in the first leg of the playoff. The match could potentially end in a 1-1 draw, setting up an intriguing second leg at Stadio Dall’Ara. While Brann may lack match fitness, Bologna’s defense remains a point of concern.