Bologna vs Napoli

Napoli will be looking to pick up steam and return in the Serie A title race when they take on mid-table Bologna at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.

A growing injury list, compounded with Covid-related absences, saw Bologna collapse at Cagliari last time out (1-2), extending their Serie A run without a draw to 12 matches (W5, L7). Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men have now suffered four defeats in their last five league outings (W1), conceding an average of 2.25 goals per loss. After falling to a dismal 3-0 thrashing in the reverse fixture, Bologna face the prospect of drawing a blank in both seasonal meetings with Napoli in Serie A for the first time since 1977/78. Another unwanted record is there for the taking, as Mihajlovic could become the first Bologna manager since Roberto Donadoni in February-March 2017 to lose three consecutive Serie A home matches, having lost the last two in a row by an aggregate score of 5-2.

Meanwhile, Napoli crashed out of the Coppa Italia in midweek, courtesy of an embarrassing 5-2 extra-time defeat at the hands of Fiorentina, as the visitors’ form wobble continues to torment head coach Luciano Spalletti. Indeed, following an outstanding start to the 2021/22 Serie A season, ‘I Partenopei’ have picked up just three wins in their last ten league encounters (D3, L4), sliding to third in the standings, six points adrift of pacesetters Inter Milan. But after squeezing past Sampdoria 1-0 last time out, Napoli could post back-to-back Serie A triumphs for the first time since October when one of those successes came at the expense of non-other than Bologna. However, Spalletti’s men have only racked up one victory in their previous four Serie A away matches (D2, L1), failing to keep a clean sheet in each game they didn’t win in that sequence.