Bologna beat Monza 2-1 at home.

The Serie A encounter between Bologna and Monza unfolded at the historic Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna on 31 October 2026. Both sides entered the match looking to claim three points, and the atmosphere was charged as the home crowd anticipated a competitive showdown.

How it unfolded

The opening stages were dramatic. In the sixth minute, Monza took the lead when Gustavo Varela stepped up to convert a penalty, firing a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner to make it 0-1. The early goal set the tone for a tightly contested game.

Six minutes later, the referee issued the first booking of the afternoon, showing Ricardo Mangas of Monza a yellow card for a bad foul. The disciplinary rhythm continued when Bologna’s Jens Odgaard received a yellow for a similar infringement at the 17th minute, followed by another for Tommaso Pobega at 23 minutes, both for bad fouls.

Bologna responded to the deficit before the half-hour mark. In the 33rd minute, Tommaso Pobega restored parity with a left-footed strike from the centre of the box, directing the ball to the bottom left corner. The chance was created by Juan Miranda, whose corner delivery was met perfectly by Pobega.

The second half saw the tempo rise. Lorenzo Lucchesi of Monza was booked for a bad foul in the 58th minute, and just a minute later, Federico Bernardeschi equalised for Bologna by converting a penalty with a left-footed shot to the bottom right corner, putting the home side ahead 2-1.

Further bookings followed as the match progressed: Nadir Zortea of Bologna was cautioned for a bad foul at 74 minutes, Idrissa Touré of Monza received a yellow for a bad foul at 76 minutes, and Mikel Amondarain of Bologna was booked for a bad foul in the final minute of regulation time. No further goals were scored, and the referee allowed the result to stand at the final whistle.

Standout performers

  • Tommaso Pobega (Bologna) – Scored the equaliser in the 33rd minute, demonstrating composure inside the box.
  • Juan Miranda (Bologna) – Provided the decisive cross from a corner that led to Pobega’s goal.
  • Federico Bernardeschi (Bologna) – Netted the winning penalty in the 59th minute, showing calm under pressure.
  • Gustavo Varela (Monza) – Opened the scoring from the spot in the 6th minute, giving Monza an early advantage.

Match facts

  • Final score: Bologna 2-1 Monza
  • Scorers:
    • 6' – Gustavo Varela (Monza) – penalty
    • 33' – Tommaso Pobega (Bologna) – assisted by Juan Miranda
    • 59' – Federico Bernardeschi (Bologna) – penalty
  • Bookings:
    • 12' – Ricardo Mangas (Monza)
    • 17' – Jens Odgaard (Bologna)
    • 23' – Tommaso Pobega (Bologna)
    • 58' – Lorenzo Lucchesi (Monza)
    • 74' – Nadir Zortea (Bologna)
    • 76' – Idrissa Touré (Monza)
    • 90' – Mikel Amondarain (Bologna)
  • Venue: Renato Dall'Ara, Bologna

What it means

The result hands Bologna three points from the Serie A fixture, while Monza return home with a single point after their early lead proved insufficient. Both teams will look to build on the performances and address the disciplinary issues highlighted by the number of bookings.