Brann vs. Bologna: Europa League play-off 1st leg official line-ups

VERONA, ITALY – JANUARY 15: Santiago Castro of Bologna FC celebrates with teammate Riccardo Orsolini after scoring his team’s third goal during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and Bologna FC 1909 at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on January 15, 2026 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

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).

You can follow all the build-up and action from this game and Jagiellonia vs. Fiorentina on the Liveblog.

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 24^th 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

Brann bench: Vidtun Nilsen, Klausen, Finne, Dragsnes, Pedersen, Sande, Haaland, Eikrem, Remmem, Holten

Bologna: Skorupski; Zortea, Vitik, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Moro; Bernardeschi, Ferguson, Cambiaghi; Castro

Bologna bench: Ravaglia, Pessina, Pobega, Orsolini, Rowe, Heggem, Casale, Joao Mario, Odgaard, Sohm, Dallinga, Dominguez

Ref: Obrenovic (SVN)

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79′

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75′

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75′

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46′

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87′

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