Bologna v Monaco: Prediction, Tips and Odds

After 60 years away from European football's top club competition, Bologna are still to get their first win back in the big time but an upturn in form will give them belief ahead of Monaco's visit on Tuesday.

I Rossoblu finished the 2023/24 season fifth in the table but their coach Thiago Motta was one of several high-profile departures and his replacement, Vincenzo Italiano, is still getting a handle on his squad.

However, they have won their last two Serie A matches and can take that additional belief into this game against Monaco, who in contrast, have lost their last two to slip off the pace in Ligue 1.

They have, though, picked up seven points from the nine available in Europe and in that situation, more pragmatic sides may look to sit back and play for a draw at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.

Adi Hutter's team lack that kind of balance and that could lead to lots of goalmouth action on Tuesday. 

Bologna v Monaco betting tips and predictions

Draw and both teams to score - 10/3

After last season's heroics, Bologna's summer overhaul and change of manager has left them still searching for consistency.

While they have lost just one of their 10 Serie A outings, they have recorded only three victories. Beating Cagliari and Lecce in their last two will have boosted belief but they were still against two of the bottom five sides and they are searching for their first UEFA Champions League win.

A 0-0 opening draw against Shakhtar Donetsk has been followed by 2-0 reverses at both Liverpool and Aston Villa. They will see this and Lille's visit later in the month as winnable fixtures before tougher games against Benfica, Borussia Dortmund and Sporting CP.

In contrast, Monaco have beaten Barcelona 2-1, drawn 2-2 at Dinamo Zagreb and outclassed Crvena Zvezda 5-1 to put themselves on course to progress beyond the league phase.

Back-to-back defeats against first Nice (2-1) and then Angers (1-0) have seen them fall to six points behind Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 but a decent result at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara can restore confidence ahead of Saturday's trip to Strasbourg.

A draw would be acceptable but the way Hutter's side plays gives opponents a chance.

Their result in Zagreb could be instructive and an entertaining draw is likely, with a repeat of that 2-2 scoreline tempting at 12/1.

Maghnes Akliouche to score or assist - 7/4

A player to look out for could be Monaco midfielder Maghnes Akliouche, who has already netted twice and provided an assist in the UEFA Champions League.

The 22-year-old is the latest Paris-born starlet to head to the Stade Louis II and, after establishing himself last season, has kicked on again, providing another two assists in Ligue 1.

Monaco have several talented players who can drift between the lines but, while Eliesse Ben Seghir scores more goals, Akliouche is more creative.

An Olympic silver medalist with France in the summer, he could be pushing for senior honours and, with the November internationals looming, has additional motivation to impress in Emilia-Romagna.

Lamine Camara to be booked - 11/4

Lamine Camara is another of Monaco's exciting youngsters and does his best work when getting his team ticking by winning possession and moving the ball forward.

The 20-year-old remains raw, though, and has already been sent off for two yellow cards and received a further four cautions in 2024/25, including in Les Rouge et Blanc's last two matches.

Monaco have committed a joint-highest 48 fouls in this season's UEFA Champions League, with Camara providing four of those, receiving his sole yellow against Barcelona.

The Senegalese is a truly committed player, happy to sacrifice himself for the team, and could find himself in referee Aliyar Aghayev's notebook.

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Bologna v Monaco odds

Bologna - 17/10
Draw - 23/10
Monaco - 8/5

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.

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