Bologna return to the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on Thursday night aiming to respond after a disappointing derby day setback in Serie A.
A home defeat to struggling Fiorentina at the weekend left the Italians sitting eighth in the Serie A table and seven points adrift of the top six, increasing the importance of a positive European showing.
Bologna v Celtic kicks off at 5.45pm on Thursday and will be shown live in the UK on TNT Sports 2.
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Despite domestic frustrations, Bologna’s UEFA Europa League campaign given fans something to shouit about.
Under Vincenzo Italiano, the Italian side head into round seven sitting 13th in the league phase, just two points outside the top eight automatic qualification places.
They remain unbeaten in their last five Europa League matches, recording three wins and two draws.
That European form contrasts with their recent struggles elsewhere.
Bologna have managed just one victory inside 90 minutes across their last nine games in all competitions, while home form has also dipped, with no wins in their last four matches at the Dall’Ara.
Those numbers suggest there is still work to do if they are to fully capitalise on their strong position in Europe.
Celtic arrive in Italy amid significant change at the top.
Since a 3-0 defeat to AS Roma in their last Europa League outing, the Scottish champions have turned back to a familiar face, with Martin O’Neill returning for a second spell in charge this season. The early signs have been positive, with three consecutive victories since his reappointment.
European qualification remains delicately poised for Celtic. The Hoops currently occupy 24th place, the final play off spot, and are only there on goal difference. Anything other than a win in Italy could leave their Europa League hopes hanging by a thread heading into the final round of fixtures.
This will be the first competitive meeting between Bologna and Celtic, though history offers a warning for the visitors. Celtic’s record against Italian opposition has been challenging, with just seven wins from 33 previous encounters. Even so, recent European performances suggest renewed belief.
Under O’Neill, Celtic have already shown they can travel well on the continent and will be looking for maximum points tonight.
A 3-1 victory away at Feyenoord earlier in the campaign offered a glimpse of what is possible, and another success on Thursday would see the Hoops claim back to back away wins in a European main draw competition for the first time since 2003.
Bologna, for their part, know that victory would significantly strengthen their push for automatic qualification.
With just a narrow gap separating them from the top eight, home advantage and recent European form give them reason for confidence, even with domestic form lagging behind.
