AS AS Roma prepares to face Bologna at the Stadio Dall’Ara in a highly anticipated Serie A clash, kicking off at 18:00 CEST. The Giallorossi squad is reeling from the recent dismissal of special advisor Claudio Ranieri, but finds a crucial boost with the return of Paulo Dybala to the bench after a lengthy lay-off. Donyell Malen and Matias Soulé are set to start against Santiago Castro’s Bologna, a team that previously knocked the capital club out of the Europa League.

This encounter closely follows last month's dramatic Europa League clash, where Bologna triumphed 4-3 on aggregate after extra time, following a 1-1 first leg and a thrilling 3-3 second leg. Despite recent setbacks, AS AS Roma remains in contention for a crucial fourth-place finish in the league, although a 1-1 draw with Atalanta recently stalled their progress.

It has been a nightmare week for AS AS Roma, culminating in the dismissal of Claudio Ranieri after his very public clash with coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Reports also suggest that sporting director Ricky Massara might follow suit, adding further uncertainty to the Giallorossi's environment.

While Paulo Dybala makes his anticipated return to the bench after a three-month lay-off, the injury list remains significant. Manu Koné, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Artem Dovbyk, and Evan Ferguson are still out of action. Furthermore, Wesley and Devyne Rensch are not at 100% fitness, meaning Matias Soulé and Niccolo Pisilli will be tasked with supporting top scorer Donyell Malen in attack.

On the opposing side, Bologna saw their hopes of European qualification severely impacted by a 2-0 defeat to Juventus. They have also lost Federico Bernardeschi for the remainder of the season, an absence that could influence their performance against an AS AS Roma side determined to bounce back.