The second-leg play-off tie of the 2025/26 Europa League between Bologna Football Club 1909 (Italy) and Sportsklubben Brann (Norway) will take place on 26 February at the Renato Dall'Ara Stadium. The score in the first leg was 1:0 in favour of Bologna Football Club 1909. Bologna Football Club 1909 vs Sportsklubben Brann: prediction, betting odds and statistics.
Bologna Football Club 1909
One goal was enough for Bologna Football Club 1909 to take a win away from Norway. As a result, Vincenzo Italiano's side have won four of their last five Europa League matches (one draw), although for the first time in that run the team scored fewer than twice. To progress to the next round, Bologna Football Club 1909 simply need to avoid defeat in the return leg, while the club’s unbeaten run in the Europa League now stands at eight matches.
- There were goals in both halves in six of the Italians’ previous eight Europa League matches.
- On home soil, the team have not lost in five European matches (two wins, three draws).
- In six of Bologna Football Club 1909’s last eight home matches in international competition, they conceded no more than one goal.
Potential Bologna Football Club 1909 Lineup (4-5-1)*
Lukasz Skorupski – Jhon Lucumi, Juan Miranda, Nadir Zortea, Martin Vitik – Nikola Moro, Nicolo Cambiaghi, Remo Freuler, Lewis Ferguson, Santiago Castro – Federico Bernardeschi.
Defenders Charalampos Lykogiannis and Turbjoern Heggem are injured.
Sportsklubben Brann
After losing the first leg, Sportsklubben Brann extended their winless run in the Europa League to six matches (three draws, three defeats). What is more, in four games during that period the team failed to find the net at all. Those scoring problems seriously complicate Sportsklubben Brann’s prospects in the return leg, as the club need to beat the hosts by at least a two-goal margin. A win for the Scandinavians by exactly one goal would take the tie to extra time.
- The team conceded no more than one goal in six of their previous eight Europa League matches.
- Away from home in this tournament, Sportsklubben Brann have not won five of their last seven matches (two draws, three defeats).
- In 10 of the previous 12 away matches in the Europa League, the club scored no more than one goal.
Potential Sportsklubben Brann Lineup (5-4-1)*
Matias Dyngeland – Joakim Soltvedt, Denzel De Roeve, Nana Kwame Boakye, , Fredrik Knudsen – Joun Thorsteinsson, Ulrik Mathisen, Felix Myhre, Jakob Sorensen, Krystall Mani Ingason – Noa Holm.
Referee
Benoit Bastien (France)
Matches – 7 (International fixtures, 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 33;
Yellow cards per match – 4.7;
Red cards shown – 1;
Fouls per match – 26;
Penalties – 57%.
Bologna Football Club 1909 vs Sportsklubben Brann: Match Prediction
Despite struggling in the domestic league, Bologna Football Club 1909 have produced far better results in international competition. Their unbeaten run in the Europa League has reached eight matches (five wins, three draws), and to reach the next round Vincenzo Italiano’s side need to extend it by one more. That does not look like an overly difficult task given the Norwegians’ away form. Sportsklubben Brann have not won on the road in this season’s edition of the tournament.
The Norwegians need to score, but it will not be easy for the visitors to do so. There are both the team’s problems in the final third and the Italians’ defensive performance. Bologna Football Club 1909 conceded no more than one goal in six of their last eight home matches in European competition, and the club have already kept Sportsklubben Brann scoreless twice in this season’s tournament. Sportsklubben Brann, meanwhile, scored in only one of their previous four Europa League matches.
Prediction: Bologna Football Club 1909, double chance + Under 3.5 goals
* For each team, the starting line-up is the one they used in their previous match in this tournament.
