Europa League play-off line-ups: Brann vs. Bologna
Bologna face a tricky trip to Norway against SK Brann in the Europa League play-off, with Jens Odgaard, Riccardo Orsolini and Santiago Castro upfront.
It kicks off at the Brann Stadion in Bergen at 17.45 GMT (18.45 CET).
The second leg will be at the Stadio Dall’Ara next Thursday, February 26.
Curiously, these teams already met during the league phase and drew 0-0 at the Stadio Dall’Ara on November 6, despite the hosts being down to 10 men for well over an hour due to the Charalampos Lykogiannis red card.
He cannot replicate that, as he is out injured for this trip, with Lorenzo De Silvestri not on the UEFA list either.
The Rossoblu have been in a painful crisis period, crashing out of the Coppa Italia quarter-finals to Lazio, managing two wins in 14 competitive games.
That was ended with Sunday’s badly-needed 2-1 Serie A victory away to Torino.
Vincenzo Italiano rotates the squad to a degree, starting Nadir Zortea at right-back, with Ferguson, Niccolo Cambiaghi and Bernardeschi fanning out behind Castro.
They already won the Coppa Italia last season and now hope to reach the last 16 in Europe for the first time in 27 years.
SK Brann finished 24th in the Europa League opening phase and the Norwegian league is on its winter break, so their only matches since mid-November were a 3-3 with Midtjylland and 1-0 loss to Sturm Graz on January 29.
They have been in a training camp in Spain over the last couple of weeks to stay in shape.
Niklas Castro and Saevar Atli Magnusson are on the treatment table, a big loss considering the latter is their top scorer this season with five goals in all competition.
Emil Kornvig has three goals in the Europa League this term, with Noah Holm on two.
Brann vs. Bologna line-ups
Brann: Dyngeland; De Roeve, Pallesen, Boakye, Soltvedt; Ingason, Sorensen, Myhre; Mathisen, Holm, Thorsteinsson
Bologna: Skorupski; Zortea, Vitik, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Moro; Bernardeschi, Ferguson, Cambiaghi; Castro
Ref: Obrenovic (SVN)