Bernardeschi penalty earns Bologna 2-1 win over Monza as Cutrone misses from the spot

Federico Bernardeschi’s penalty decided a game of three spot-kicks at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on Saturday 31 October. Tommaso Pobega had cancelled out an early Gustavo Varela penalty, and Patrick Cutrone missed the chance to equalise from 12 yards in the 81st minute.

Bologna, under Raffaele Palladino, had 60% of the ball and 10 shots to Monza’s 6. The visitors still had chances. Expected goals finished 2.1 to 1.84.

Varela strikes first before Pobega replies

Monza needed only 6 minutes to go ahead. Gustavo Varela converted a penalty for his eighth Serie A goal of the season, which puts him level with Frosinone’s Raimondo at the top of the scoring chart.

The first half was scrappy. Andrea Zanotti showed three yellow cards before the half-hour, to Ricardo Mangas, Jens Odgaard and Pobega. The Bologna midfielder’s booking in the 23rd minute did not slow him down. Ten minutes later he levelled from Juan Miranda’s assist, and the sides went in at 1-1.

Miranda, who played the full 90 minutes and created 2 chances, was rated 7.7, the highest on the pitch. Pobega was next on 7.23 before being withdrawn after 74 minutes.

VAR, Bernardeschi and Cutrone’s miss

The second half turned on two video reviews. In the 56th minute a VAR check involving Arthur Theate confirmed a penalty for Bologna, and Bernardeschi stepped up to score in the 59th minute. Lorenzo Lucchesi had been booked a minute earlier.

Monza were handed a route back in the 77th minute, when VAR confirmed a penalty involving Jay Robinson. Cutrone failed to convert. Bologna’s goalkeeper Skorupski and Monza’s Törnqvist made 3 saves each.

Tempers rose late on. Nadir Zortea and Mikel Jesús Amondarain were both cautioned for Bologna, and Monza committed 19 fouls to Bologna’s 13. Bologna finished with 4 bookings, Monza with 3, but nobody was sent off.

Bologna extend Monza hold as Juric’s side lose a third straight

This was Bologna’s third successive win, after beating Cagliari 2-0 and Milan 4-2. It also extends their recent dominance in this fixture to four straight wins over Monza, following a 2-1 success in September 2024, a 4-0 Coppa Italia rout that December and a 3-1 win in January 2025.

For Monza, the story is the opposite. Juric’s side have now lost three in a row, to Torino, Napoli and Bologna, and have won just once in their last five outings in all competitions.

The standings have Bologna 11th on 11 points and Monza 16th on 7, with Fiorentina and Parma below them on 5.

Bologna travel to Parma on Saturday 7 November. Monza host Atalanta the following day, Sunday 8 November.

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