Preview: Napoli vs Bologna – Team News, Lineups & Prediction

1 week ago 8

It’s crunch time in Serie A as a fiercely-contested battle for European qualification unfolds on the eve of Bologna’s trip to Napoli on Saturday. Diego Maradona Stadium forms the backdrop for a high-stakes duel between last season’s champions and this year’s surprise package.

From top to flop in less than 12 months, Partenopei’s hopes of establishing a new era of dominance in Serie A have unraveled epically. After becoming the joint-earliest champions in the Italian top flight last term, Napoli head into the 2023/24 season finale a whopping 38 points behind new champions Inter.

Despite producing one of the worst title-defending campaigns in Serie A history, European qualification remains a distinct possibility for Napoli. Monday’s 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Udinese left Francesco Calzona’s side stranded in eighth. That could potentially lead to a less impressive Europa Conference League promotion.

However, with ninth-placed Fiorentina only a point adrift of Napoli with a game in hand, there’s no wriggle room for the hosts down the final stretch. Visiting Bologna could pour more misery on the Naples outfit as they bid to cement their top-four pursuit after back-to-back draws against Udinese and Torino.

Since a fifth-place finish will guarantee Champions League football next season, Thiago Motta’s men are in a decent position to pip Roma to the most coveted European competition. Rossoblu boast a four-point lead on the Stadio Olimpico side, underscoring the significance of maintaining a seven-game unbeaten streak at the backend of 2023/24 (W3, D4).

Match Preview

Napoli

A four-game winless league run (D3, L1) has ramped up the pressure on Calzona as Napoli return to the Maradona Stadium desperate to make amends for a 2-2 draw against Roma last time out. Conceding equalizers beyond the 85th minute in two consecutive Serie A outings has started a debate over Napoli’s poor state of mind amidst a dreadful campaign.

They have only won once in their last eight league matches (D5, L2) but will look forward to Bologna’s visit, having not lost any of their eight top-flight meetings since the start of 2020 (W5, D3). Napoli would love to make it nine in a row, yet they must plug their defensive holes to make that happen after conceding in 14 consecutive league games.

It’s been almost three decades since Napoli last lamented a longer wait for a Serie A clean sheet. But Partenopei can draw confidence from holding Bologna to a scoreless draw in September’s reverse fixture.

Bologna

Napoli’s hopes of registering their first league shutout since a 0-0 stalemate at Lazio in January face a seemingly presentable opportunity in the form of an uneventful Bologna side. Motta’s charges have failed to get on the scoresheet in three of their last five Serie A contests (W1, D4), including two blanks on their three most recent travels.

Despite Bologna’s scoring woes, they’ll take this trip in high spirits after accruing an eye-catching 31 points from 14 games since the start of February (W9, D4, L1). Except for a couple of goalless affairs at Torino and Frosinone, the visitors have won four of their last six matches on the road, setting themselves up nicely for this traditionally unpleasant journey.

Eight of Bologna’s last nine visits to Napoli have ended in defeat (W1), with Rossoblu conceding a staggering 28 goals in that sequence.

Team News

Apart from long-term absentees Pierluigi Gollini and Leander Dendoncker, Napoli will be without standout winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, outgoing midfielder Piotr Zielinski, and second-string forward Giacomo Raspadori. The Georgian’s injury opens up space for winter arrival Cyril Ngonge, while Hamed Traore bids to take Zielinski’s place in the engine room.

On the other hand, Bologna can’t call upon Adama Soumaoro, who’s still on the sidelines with a long-term injury. This fixture will come too soon for captain Lewis Ferguson, meaning Alexis Saelemaekers is in line for another start despite his recent drop-off in form.

Napoli vs Bologna Potential Lineups

Napoli (4-3-3): Alex Meret; Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Mathias Olivera; Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Stanislav Lobotka, Hamed Traore; Matteo Politano, Victor Osimhen, Cyril Ngonge.

Bologna (4-2-3-1): Lukasz Skorupski; Stefan Posch, Sam Beukema, Riccardo Calafiori, Victor Kristiansen; Remo Freuler, Michel Aebischer; Riccardo Orsolini, Giovanni Fabbian, Alexis Saelemaekers; Joshua Zirkzee.

Napoli vs Bologna Prediction

Given the circumstances, neither side would benefit much from a draw, yet a loss would be catastrophic for both teams’ ambitions. Another chess match could be on the cards as we could easily envisage another scoreless contest.

Prediction: Draw