Catania vs Bologna preview - Lodi looks to raise his game

Posted Sunday, February 17, 2013 by PA

Catania midfielder Francesco Lodi has promised to return to his creative best as the Sicilians bid to recover lost ground in the race for Europe.

Suspension kept the 28-year-old playmaker out of the team during a delicate period in Serie A but the Elefanti rallied to secure three straight wins in Lodi's absence.

However, Catania have picked up just one point from two games since Lodi returned to the team, failing to score and slipping below Udinese into eighth place.

He told La Repubblica: "Our strength comes from knowing that we can always win even when isolated incidents go against us.

"While I was out my team-mates picked up some brilliant results and now it's up to me to come back and play like I know I can.

"I'm expecting a tough game with little space given away because Bologna are a very strong team."

Bologna were responsible for Catania's worst result of the season so far as Lodi and his colleagues returned to Sicily on the back of a one-sided 4-0 reverse in September.

"We definitely want to erase the memory of that ugly defeat," he added.

"We all know what our objective is - first of all getting 40 points and ensuring survival. Then we can start to look at enthusiastically taking down the teams that are above us in the league."

Defender Ciro Capuano and midfielders Fabio Sciacca and Mariano Izco are unlikely to feature for Catania due to injury while Bologna are missing defender Cesare Natali and midfielder Saphir Taider.

The Rossoblu are unbeaten in three games but wing-back Archimede Morleo is all too aware that his side are only five points clear of the relegation zone.

He told the Corriere dello Sport: "It will definitely be hard against Catania on Sunday but points are always hard to come by in the race to book survival.

"In the reverse fixture we showed them that Bologna could give them a lot of trouble but they always play well at home. Nevertheless, we are well prepared and highly motivated."