Hellas Verona vs Bologna preview - Verona almost safe

Posted Saturday, March 01, 2014 by PA

Hellas Verona are one win away from being able to plan for another season in Serie A with some confidence.

Normally 40 points is the magic number clubs aim for at the start of the campaign, but ahead of Sunday's battle against Bologna in Verona, Hellas have 39 in the bank from 25 games.

Coach Andrea Mandorlini has instilled real grit into the Gialloblu and Hellas, who gained promotion to the top flight last summer, are sixth in the standings.

They trail one point behind Inter Milan, who hold the last Europa League qualifying spot while they are 19 points clear of the relegation zone with 12 games still remaining.

"Our first aim is to defend our Serie A status and we are very close to achieving it," Mandorlini said. "But there are many games left to play and I don't want my players to relax.

"Our motivation to do well this season is strong and we want to finish as high as possible in the standings."

Hellas won 3-2 at Livorno last time out to bounce back from their 3-1 loss to Torino, their first defeat at home since September 29.

"It was a good victory against a difficult rival," Mandorlini said.

Hellas will be without the team's top scorer Luca Toni this weekend.

Toni, who has scored 13 goals in 22 league appearances, was booked last weekend and must serve a one-match ban.

Rivals Bologna are in desperate need of points when they travel to the Marc'Antonio Bentegodi stadium.

Saturday's 1-0 loss to Roma followed their 1-0 reverse at AC Milan and dropped the Rossoblu to 17th place, just one point clear of the relegation zone.

Bologna have won just one of their last eight games.

Lack of goalscoring has been Bologna's main problem in recent weeks, with Davide Ballardini's side having found the net just two times in their last four games.

"We played a great game against Roma," Ballardini said. "We are struggling in front of goal and the only way I know how to overcome that is by playing like a team in order to create more goalscoring chances."

The visitors are without captain Diego Perez, who serves the second and final match of his ban this weekend.