Bologna vs Juventus Serie A Round 27 Odds & Betting Preview

• Juventus are back in Serie A action after losing the Coppa Italia final to Napoli last week
• Mid-table Bologna provide a challenge for Maurizio Sarri’s side as they face pressure from Lazio and Inter at the top of the table
• Get the odds, pick and betting discussion below

Juventus are searching for a ninth straight Scudetto. Maurizio Sarri arrived from Chelsea last off-season with expectations to conquer Italy once again and take on the best in Europe. A Coppa Italia loss to Sarri’s former team Napoli last week has not helped his cause, and the Old Lady is in the fiercest title race they have experienced in recent seasons with Inter and Lazio right behind them.

Monday (June 22) sees Juve travel to Bologna to face a team firmly in mid-table obscurity. The hosts are five points off the final European spot and nine ahead of 18th at the time of writing.

The latest Serie A odds unsurprisingly have Juventus as hefty favorites despite their cup disappointment just a few days ago.

Bologna vs Juventus Serie A Odds

Odds taken Jun. 21.

Same Old Sarri

Chelsea fans will be familiar with the issues Juventus have experienced throughout this season, but most notably since the restart. Low block defenses have left Juve looking something close to clueless. They have not scored since the campaign restarted.

Only Napoli average more short passes per game than Sarri’s side. They rank near the bottom of the league in crosses per match and longer passes. Per WhoScored, only two of their Serie A goals have come on the break. That’s a number that’s expected to be lower for a dominant team (they’re going to have fewer fast break opportunities), but it reflects what they have been this term. It has been ponderous at times, and crucially, that does not work in Cristiano Ronaldo’s favor.

Resilient Bologna

Bologna have lost their last eight to Juventus in all competitions. Their last meeting saw Juventus win 2-1 at Allianz Stadium after having almost 65% possession. They generated few opportunities despite racking up 23 shots, however, with Miralem Pjanic’s second half winner coming following chaos and confusion in the Bologna area.

Siniša Mihajlović will set his team up to contain. They will relinquish possession, forcing Juventus to break them down. While their 42 goals conceded ranks in the bottom half of the league, Bologna’s 30.35 non-penalty expected goals against is one of the better marks in the league. As their 88 cards accumulated show, they will be unafraid to challenge hard and break up play.

This is a well-organized Bologna team who press the ball while maintaining defensive shape and limiting space in behind. It’s natural for Juve to be favored here, but this is far from a walk over considering how the 35-time Serie A winners have performed of late.

Bologna vs Juventus Stats

Back Bologna

With little to play for down the stretch, questions could be asked about Bologna’s motivation. Upsetting the domineering Juventus should be enough to spur on a resolute defensive performance from a team that has underachieved its expected numbers over the campaign.

The draw is a tempter at +290. Betting confidence in Juventus should be relatively low at the moment. Their odds are a little shorter than they perhaps should be considering the rumored tension in the dressing room and dysfunctional performances against Milan and Napoli.

Bologna look a good bet at +1 and even the moneyline at +440 deserves consideration.

Pick: Bologna +1 (+119)