Bologna - Lazio: a new chapter begins at Dall'Ara
Bologna and Lazio open the 2026/27 season with a head-to-head meeting at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara. According to the current competition schedule, the match is set for Monday, 24 August at 18:30. This is an important change compared with the previously announced dates, so supporters planning to travel should count on Monday evening rather than the originally listed weekend slot.
The very first round brings together two teams that finished the previous season almost side by side. Bologna were eighth with 56 points, Lazio ninth with 54. That is why this is not only the start of a new season but also the first test for clubs looking to take a step towards the upper part of the table.
Changes have also taken place on both benches in the meantime. Domenico Tedesco took over Bologna after Vincenzo Italiano's departure, while Gennaro Gattuso became Lazio's coach. The opening round therefore also offers the first real league insight into two new coaching ideas.
Tickets for this match are in demand among supporters.
Bologna enter a new era with Tedesco
Domenico Tedesco was appointed at the beginning of June and signed a contract until 30 June 2028, with an option for an additional season. His arrival represents a clear change after two years under Italiano, a period that also included winning the 2025 Coppa Italia.
Tedesco has been given significantly changed attacking options over the summer. Artem Dovbyk featured as the central striker in the final preparation matches, while Roberto Piccoli arrived shortly before the start of the season. Bologna announced on 13 August that Piccoli had joined from Fiorentina on loan until June 2027, with an obligation to buy if certain conditions are met.
Alongside them remains a range of players capable of attacking from deeper positions. Riccardo Orsolini can start on the right and move towards the penalty area, Federico Bernardeschi offers solutions between the lines and on the flank, Nicolo Cambiaghi provides pace, while Lewis Ferguson brings forward runs from midfield. Jens Odgaard also gives Tedesco the option of changing the attacking structure without necessarily changing the entire team.
The final part of preparations, however, did not go ideally. Bologna lost 1-4 to Pisa on 8 August. Thijs Dallinga scored their only goal from the penalty spot. A week later came a 1-0 defeat away to Brighton, where Tedesco started with Skorupski, Zortea, Heggem, Helland, Miranda, El Azzouzi, Ferguson, Bernardeschi, Orsolini, Dovbyk and Cambiaghi.
The result of a friendly match does not by itself determine the condition of a team, but two consecutive defeats immediately before the league campaign give Tedesco several clear areas to work on: security after losing possession, efficiency in the final third and integrating the new strikers with players who were already familiar with the system.
Bologna defence injury situation
The most concrete fitness information in mid-August concerned Nicolò Casale and Martin Vitik. Casale suffered a problem with his left adductor on 7 August, after which the club announced approximately ten days of individually adapted work. That timeframe does not automatically mean he will miss Lazio, but his readiness will need to be assessed immediately before the match.
Vitik, on the other hand, missed the trip for the friendly against Brighton because of muscle fatigue in his right thigh. Bologna did not announce a longer recovery period. Against Brighton, the central defensive pairing consisted of Torbjørn Heggem and Eivind Helland, showing which alternatives Tedesco already has available.
Lazio under Gattuso are already showing attacking productivity
Lazio also changed coach during the summer. Gennaro Gattuso took charge of the first team on 23 June, while preparations were conducted mainly at the Training Center in Formello.
The results of the preparation matches were largely positive. Lazio beat Flaminia Civita Castellana 6-0, Avellino 6-3, Ascoli 2-1, Ostiamare 4-0 and Frosinone 2-1. The last of those tests is particularly interesting because it came only a little more than two weeks before the trip to Bologna.
Against Frosinone, Lazio conceded early, but Mattia Zaccagni equalised in the 22nd minute and then converted a late penalty for 2-1. The captain once again showed how important he can be in situations when the match is not going according to plan.
In the current squad, Gattuso has Christos Mandas among the goalkeepers, Alessio Romagnoli, Danilho Doekhi, Nuno Tavares, Alfonso Pedraza and Adam Marušić among the defensive options, as well as Nicolò Rovella, Kenneth Taylor, Danilo Cataldi and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in midfield. In attack, among others, there are Zaccagni, Boulaye Dia, Tijjani Noslin, Matteo Cancellieri, Petar Ratkov and Gustav Isaksen.
Davide Frattesi can add another dimension to the midfield. Lazio confirmed his arrival from Inter on 14 August on loan with an option to buy. Since the transfer took place only ten days before the league trip to Bologna, one of the questions will be how much Gattuso can integrate him into the system in time for the opening round.
Before travelling to Dall'Ara, Lazio also have a competitive fixture against Mantova on 16 August. That match will provide Gattuso with the final serious test before the start of Serie A and could give a more precise picture of the starting line-up for Bologna.
Isaksen's recovery remains an important detail
For Lazio, the most significant fitness news during the summer concerned Gustav Isaksen. The club announced on 1 July that the Danish attacker had undergone surgery for a bilateral sports hernia. He immediately began a rehabilitation programme, but that announcement did not give a precise date for his return to competitive action.
For that reason, his status for Dall'Ara should not be assumed in advance. Gattuso has other options in the wide positions, primarily Zaccagni, Cancellieri and Noslin, but Isaksen's ability to attack space and play one-on-one gives Lazio a different profile when he is fully fit.
The most recent head-to-head meeting carries a warning for Bologna
Bologna do not have to look far into the past to find a reason for caution. Lazio won 2-0 at Dall'Ara itself on 22 March 2026. Kenneth Taylor scored both goals, in the 72nd and 82nd minutes.
The match could have gone in a completely different direction. Bologna were awarded a penalty early in the second half, but the Lazio goalkeeper saved Orsolini's attempt. Taylor then punished the hosts twice in the final twenty minutes.
It is also interesting that the teams met in the cup during the previous season. After a 1-1 draw following 90 minutes at Dall'Ara, Lazio advanced on penalties.
The last five league meetings show how the balance of power has changed from match to match:
- Bologna 0-2 Lazio - 22 March 2026.
- Lazio 1-1 Bologna - 7 December 2025.
- Bologna 5-0 Lazio - 16 March 2025.
- Lazio 3-0 Bologna - 24 November 2024.
- Lazio 1-2 Bologna - 18 February 2024.
Across those five league meetings, both teams have two wins each, with one draw. Even more importantly, there have been results of 5-0 and 3-0, but also tighter encounters such as 1-1. History therefore does not suggest only one type of match.
Tactical duel: new solutions on both sides
For Bologna, one of the main themes is how Tedesco will organise the attack when he has several different central options. Against Brighton, Dovbyk started, while Piccoli replaced him at half-time. Orsolini, Bernardeschi and Cambiaghi were positioned behind or around the central striker.
Such a line-up can allow Bologna to provide width through the wings, but also to concentrate players in the space in front of the penalty area. Orsolini is particularly dangerous when he comes in from the right onto his left foot, while Bernardeschi can take responsibility for organising play between the opposition's defensive and midfield lines.
Gattuso's Lazio have a different kind of strength in midfield. Rovella can be the starting point in build-up play, Taylor already knows how to punish Bologna with runs from deeper positions, while Frattesi is known precisely for the vertical runs of a midfielder towards the penalty area. If he settles in quickly, Lazio gain another player whom the home defence cannot track simply according to the position of the ball.
Zaccagni remains one of the most obvious sources of danger from the left. His two goals against Frosinone before the start of the competitive season further increase interest in his duel with the right side of Bologna's defence.
For the hosts, it will also be crucial how quickly they can organise their defensive transition. If Orsolini, Bernardeschi and the full-backs all take up high positions at the same time, Lazio can find space after winning the ball. On the other hand, the visitors will not be comfortable if Bologna can continuously put their wingers into one-on-one situations close to the penalty area.
Stadio Renato Dall'Ara and the atmosphere of the opening round
Renato Dall'Ara is located at Via Andrea Costa 174 in the Costa Saragozza district. Lega Serie A lists a capacity of 36,532 spectators, and the stadium was built in 1927. It is a municipal stadium, approximately three kilometres from the centre of Bologna and around 3.5 kilometres from the main railway station.
The first home round carries additional energy because it is Tedesco's first league match in front of the Bologna supporters. Lazio also have enough travelling supporters for the away section to be an important part of the soundscape. For this match, Lazio announced that the away section has 2,480 places.
Seats in the stands are disappearing quickly.
Special sales rules apply to Lazio supporters residing in the Lazio region, including a restriction to the away section and the appropriate supporter card. Such rules can change depending on security decisions, so they should be checked again through club information before travelling.
How to get to the stadium
Dall'Ara is situated in a built-up urban area, which is why travelling by car is not always the simplest option. The City of Bologna introduces traffic restrictions in the immediate vicinity of the stadium during matches. Traffic restrictions begin two hours before the match, while parking bans in certain streets may begin even earlier.
For Bologna home matches, TPER lists city bus lines 14, 20 and 21. In addition, line 77 is activated from two hours before kick-off. It connects the Corticelle area, Bologna Centrale, Parcheggio Tanari and the stadium, with departures approximately every 20 minutes.
For visitors combining a car with public transport, Parcheggio Tanari at Via Luigi Tanari 17 is particularly useful. TPER states that car parking there is free for users of line 77.
A practical way to plan the journey is:
- From the city centre or Bologna Centrale, use city bus connections towards the Dall'Ara area.
- For a combination of car and bus, consider Parcheggio Tanari and line 77.
- Allow for traffic restrictions and changes to bus routes in the stadium area.
- The away entrance is located in Via Menabue, next to Via Porrettana.
- According to information from Bologna, entrances to the away section open two hours before kick-off.
Supporters arriving by train therefore do not necessarily need a car. Bologna Centrale is close enough for the final part of the journey to be completed by bus, while travelling by car is more usefully planned via parking facilities outside the stadium's immediate security perimeter.
Bologna before the match: a city that can be explored on foot
For visitors arriving in Bologna a few hours early, the stadium's location makes it possible to combine the match with a short tour of the city without covering great distances. The historic centre lies a few kilometres east of the stadium, and the area around Piazza Maggiore, Via dell'Indipendenza and the city's characteristic porticoes can be combined with travelling towards Dall'Ara by public transport.
It is only necessary to leave enough time for the final part of the journey. On matchday, the city's normal traffic logic does not fully apply: police roadblocks, diverted bus routes and larger numbers of pedestrians can significantly slow down arrival during the final hour.
For away supporters in particular, it is sensible to head towards the stadium earlier and follow the instructions for entering the section, rather than trying to arrive only a few minutes before kick-off.
What to watch immediately before the first whistle
Most of the open questions will only be resolved during match week. For Bologna, the fitness of Casale and Vitik should be monitored, along with the decision between different solutions at the top of the attack. Piccoli arrived very late in the preparation period, Dovbyk has already been starting matches, while Tedesco also has Dallinga as an alternative.
For Lazio, an important signal will be the line-up in the cup match against Mantova. That fixture will show how close Gattuso is to his league starting eleven and what role newcomer Frattesi can immediately receive. Isaksen's progress after his summer operation is also worth following.
Serie A had not yet started at the time this guide was prepared, so there is no current form based on league points. The starting point is therefore clear: both teams begin from zero, but Bologna enter the season as the eighth-placed team and Lazio as the ninth-placed team from the previous championship, separated by only two points in the final table.
That makes their opening meeting more interesting than a typical first match of the season. Tedesco wants to establish a new identity immediately in front of the home crowd, while Gattuso arrives with a team that regularly won during preparations and that celebrated victory at the same stadium only five months earlier.
It is worth securing tickets in good time.
Sources:
- Lega Serie A - current schedule for the opening round of the 2026/27 season, final table of the 2025/26 season, information about Renato Dall'Ara and Bologna - Lazio results.
- Bologna FC - match date, appointment of Domenico Tedesco, preparation matches against Pisa and Brighton, status of Nicolò Casale and Martin Vitik, and the arrival of Roberto Piccoli.
- S.S. Lazio - appointment of Gennaro Gattuso, current squad, preparation results, Frosinone - Lazio, arrival of Davide Frattesi, fitness information about Gustav Isaksen and information for away supporters.
- TPER - bus lines for Bologna home matches, line 77 and information about Parcheggio Tanari.
- Comune di Bologna - traffic restrictions and parking rules in the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara area.