Bologna vs Inter Milan

Inter Milan will be looking to pick up where they left off in 2021 when they take on mid-table Bologna in their opening 2022 Serie A fixture at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.

Bologna cruised to a 3-0 win at Sassuolo in their final Serie A fixture of the last calendar year to round a turbulent 2021 off on a high, ending a run of three consecutive league defeats. Back to Renato Dall’Ara, where they haven’t drawn any of their last seven top-flight outings (W3, L4), ‘I Rossoblu’ will be desperate to snap up a run of back-to-back league losses, both of which saw them concede either side of half-time. That could be easier said than done, as the hosts have won none of their last 15 Serie A H2Hs on home turf (D3, L12) since pulling off a 2-1 win in 2002. Bologna’s hopes of avoiding another upset here will hinge on a fast start, as Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men have lost nine of ten league games when conceding first this season (W1).

On the other hand, Inter Milan were nothing short of outstanding before the Christmas break curtailed their momentum, winning their last seven Serie A matches in a row, including the last six without conceding. What’s more, ‘I Nerazzurri’ won four of their final five Serie A away games of 2021 (D1) by at least a two-goal margin, including a 5-0 drubbing of newly-promoted Salernitana in their most recent league travel. It seems that new manager Simone Inzaghi has set the tone for another title-winning campaign, with the reigning Italian champions tallying a staggering 49 Serie A goals so far, averaging 2.57 goals per game. Delivering action from the get-go, the visitors have netted a league second-high 11 first-half Serie A goals on the road this term.