Serie A Preview: Bologna vs Napoli – Workforce Information, Line-ups & Prediction
Stadio Renato Dall’Ara kinds the backdrop for a high-stakes Serie A encounter between top-four hopefuls Bologna and title-bidding Napoli. Each groups shall be out to place three treasured factors on the board and get nearer to attaining their seasonal targets.
It shapes as much as be a historic season finale for Bologna. Firmly in rivalry for a primary main trophy since 1974 following a thumping 3-0 win at Empoli within the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final tie, Vincenzo Italiano’s prices chase extra historical past in Serie A.
Commercial
Final season’s fifth-place end warranted a long-awaited Champions League qualification, placing this Bologna staff on the point of membership historical past. Certainly, the Rossoblu might lock down a spot at Europe’s high desk in back-to-back campaigns for the primary time.
Juventus’ away draw at Roma final night time places Bologna in an ideal place to open a three-point hole in fourth. Nevertheless, that may very well be a formidable proposition as they meet second-placed Napoli. Like their hosts, Antonio Conte’s males obtained a major increase throughout the weekend.
Inter dropped two factors at Parma on Saturday, permitting the Partenopei to maneuver inside a one-point distance with a win in Emilia-Romagna. Napoli should seize this chance to blow the Scudetto race large open once more. Something aside from a win would doubtless spell the tip for his or her title hopes.
Match Preview
Bologna
With simply eight rounds left within the Serie A season and all groups from second to seventh dealing with off towards one another this matchday, a serious shake-up within the standings appeared inevitable. Bologna will take the sphere in excessive spirits, boasting the joint-longest ongoing successful streak on dwelling turf in Serie A (W5).
Commercial
It’s additionally price mentioning that two wins in that sequence got here towards fellow European hopefuls, together with a 5-0 demolition of Lazio final trip. Dall’Ara has been a fortress, with the Rossoblu solely struggling one dwelling league loss this season (W9, D5), courtesy of a stunning 3-2 defeat to relegation-battling Hellas Verona in December.
Bologna’s rip-roaring dwelling type ought to increase Italiano’s quest to enhance his dismal 33% win price towards Napoli as a supervisor (W4, D2, L6) and avenge a humiliating 3-0 loss in August’s reverse fixture at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Nevertheless, the latest historical past of this match-up closely favors the Partenopei.
Napoli
Aside from a 2-0 dwelling loss in 2023/24, Napoli have prevented defeat in 9 of their final ten league conferences with Bologna (W6, D3). Moreover, their most up-to-date stoop at Dall’Ara dates again to Might 2019, highlighting their dominance on this fixture, notably on the highway. That robust H2H report might present a well timed increase as Napoli look to remain within the title race.
Commercial
It’s protected to say that Bologna are amongst Conte’s favourite opposition, contemplating the trophy-laden supervisor boasts an outstanding touchline report towards the Rossoblu (W8, D4, L1), beating them seven instances within the final eight duels (L1). That’s encouraging as his prices hope to bounce again from a rotten spell on the highway.
A scoreless draw at Venezia on their final Serie A journey prolonged Napoli’s winless away run to 4 video games (D3, L1). Furthermore, the guests’ incapability to show attracts into victories away to groups beginning this spherical within the high seven (W1, D4) may very well be Napoli’s undoing this time period, with 4 of these matches seeing each groups on the scoresheet.
In quest of good omens, Napoli haven’t misplaced any of their final eight Monday-held Serie A matches (W5, D3).
Workforce Information
Regardless of dropping ex-Milan captain Davide Calabria to an ankle sprain towards Empoli, Bologna can name upon Emil Holm to fill the emptiness at right-back. In any other case, Italiano doesn’t have another damage considerations, with Riccardo Orsolini and Santiago Castro again to full health.
Commercial
However, Napoli will take this journey with out star midfielder Stanislav Lobotka and left wingback Leonardo Spinazzola. Their absences might even see Billy Gilmour and Mathias Olivera through for choice. Regardless of an underwhelming exhibiting in final weekend, David Neres ought to begin on the wing.
Bologna vs Napoli Potential Beginning Line-ups
Bologna (4-2-3-1): Skorupski; Holm, Beukema, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Ferguson; Orsolini, Odgaard, Ndoye; Castro.
Napoli (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka, McTominay; Politano, Lukaku, Neres.
Bologna vs Napoli Prediction
This fixture has a share of the spoils written throughout it, though a degree wouldn’t carry a lot to both aspect.