Coppa Italia champions Bologna wants to avoid dropping three straight top-flight games as they take on Genoa at Stadio Renato Dell'Ara on Saturday in the penultimate Serie A gameweek.

After losing to Fiorentina on Sunday, the Emilians experienced back-to-back defeats for the first time since 2023. However, they aim to end that trend against a visiting team that hasn't won since the beginning of April.

Bologna enters the final match of this season's Serie A campaign without the pressure of finishing in the top six, having already guaranteed their spot in the Europa League after defeating AC Milan in the Coppa Italia final.

While Bologna sit just three points behind sixth-placed Lazio in Serie A, their European fate no longer hinges on this weekend’s finale. Thanks to last week’s Coppa Italia triumph over AC Milan, Vincenzo Italiano’s squad have already clinched a Europa League spot for next season.

That takes the pressure off as they host Genoa, though pride remains at stake. The Rossoblu are eager to avoid a third straight league defeat after recent setbacks against Milan (3-1) and Fiorentina (3-2) – a slump they haven’t seen since their rocky January 2022 run.

Bologna also have history to rewrite. They’ve managed just one win in their last 11 clashes with Genoa since February 2018, when they last strung together back-to-back victories against the Grifone. With home fans behind them, they’ll aim to turn that trend around.

Genoa, meanwhile, arrive in Emilia-Romagna riding a quiet wave of resilience. They’re unbeaten in their last five visits to the region (2 wins, 3 draws), though recent form tells a different story. Patrick Vieira’s side have stumbled through their final stretch of the season, grabbing just two points from their last six Serie A matches.

Defensive leaks have haunted them – squandering leads against Milan (2-1) and Atalanta (3-2) in recent weeks – and they’ve failed to win on the road since edging Empoli 2-1 back in December.

For Genoa, this match is purely about pride. They’re locked into 13th place, safely clear of relegation but too far behind 12th-placed Udinese to climb higher. Bologna, however, could still shuffle a spot or two in the table depending on results elsewhere.

All eyes will be on whether Genoa can channel their historical grit in Emilia-Romagna to disrupt Bologna’s momentum – or if Italiano’s men can cap their standout season with a feel-good victory at the Renato Dall’Ara. With little at stake statistically, this clash becomes a test of character for both sides heading into the summer.