Bologna vs Siena preview - Pioli plays up positivity for Bologna

Bologna coach Stefano Pioli believes his team must remain positive heading into Sunday's game against Siena.

The Rossoblu go into the match well aware that anything but a win could see them fall into the relegation zone.

Last weekend's 1-1 draw at Cagliari left Bologna one place and one point clear of 18th-placed Novara.

"We are trying to climb up in the standings," Pioli said. "But there is still a lot of work to do because this is a balanced tournament.

"The team is responding well and this is a positive sign. We are on the right path."

Pioli will be hoping veteran striker Marco Di Vaio can add to his goal tally against Siena.

Di Vaio ended his eight-month goal drought last weekend and is set to lead Bologna's attack on Sunday.

"He is an important player," Pioli said. "He is a striker accustomed to scoring lots of goals and the long spell without scoring caused him some problems."

Siena travel to Bologna on the back of last weekend's 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan, when a last-minute goal from substitute Luc Castaignos denied Siena a valuable point.

The result dropped the Tuscan side to 12th place in Serie A.

"We are still bitter because we definitely did not deserve to lose that game," Siena defender Claudio Terzi said. "We made just one mistake at the end and that was the difference.

"But we have to leave this defeat behind us and focus on getting three points at Bologna."

Bologna will be without midfielders Diego Perez and Panagiotis Kone, with the former out injured and the latter suspended.

The good news for Pioli is that midfielder Gaby Mundigayi returns from suspension.