Bari vs Bologna Preview

Giampiero Ventura's side stunned Lecce 1-0 on Thursday to bring a 12-game winless run to an end.

The result marked Bari's third win of the season and their first triumph on the road.

"We started the year with a victory and this a good sign," Ventura said.

"A defeat would have been a hammer blow for my players.

"We arrived to the game having to do without several injured players but the players interpreted the game well and we deserved the win."

Stefano Okaka handed Bari all three points in his first game with his new club since moving on loan from Roma this week.

Ventura believes the 21-year-old striker is the right player to help Bari rectify their disappointing record of scoring just 12 goals in 18 games this season.

"Okaka is a player that has a lot of potential," he said. "He can do extremely important things for us and we are delighted to have him."

Rivals Bologna are in the hunt for a frontman in the January transfer market.

Fiorentina's Adrian Mutu is a target of the Rossoblu, with the Romanian striker looking to leave the Viola in the winter transfer market.

"Mutu would be a good player for us but we have to wait and see what the club decides," Bologna coach Alberto Malesani said.

In the meantime, Bologna will have to again rely on Marco Di Vaio's scoring touch for the game at the San Nicola stadium.

Di Vaio increased his tally to 10 goals when he scored his team's opener in Thursday's 1-1 draw against Fiorentina.

The result lifted Bologna to 14th place, six points clear of the drop zone.

Bari are still without injured trio Alessandro Parisi, Abdel Ghezzal and Paulo Barreto but welcome back Marco Rossi from suspension.