Bologna vs Napoli Preview: Where to Watch, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News
Bologna welcome Napoli to Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on Saturday evening, with both teams looking to end their seasons on a high.
Despite being unable to break Juventus' grip on the Serie A title, manager Carlo Ancelotti has comfortably guided his Napoli side to their third second place finish in four years.
Bologna on the other hand have been involved in a remarkable dogfight at the other end of the table - with only six points separating tenth place and the relegation zone. However, after picking up four points in their last two games, I Veltri have ensured they will be in Serie A next season.
With both sides' campaigns coming to an end, they will undoubtedly be keen to send their fans away with something to cheer about.
Here's 90min's preview of Saturday's encounter.
Where to Watch
When Is Kick Off? | Saturday 25 May |
What Time Is Kick Off? | 19:30 (BST) |
Where Is it Played? | Stadio Renato Dall-Ara |
TV Channel/Live Stream? | Premier 2 |
Referee? | Aleandro Di Paolo |
Team News
Napoli enter the fixture with no new injury concerns, with long term absentees Amadou Diawara and former Tottenham man Vlad Chiriches still out.
Allan and Kalidou Koulibaly are suspended but Lorenzo Insigne is fit again and could feature on the left, with Dries Mertens, and Arkadiusz Milik likely to start up front.
Francesco Pecoraro/GettyImages
Bologna's starting 11 has had a set look to it in the last two weeks and given that they have picked up four points in that time and there are no new injury concerns, expect manager Sinisa Mihajlovic to stick with the same team.
Predicted Lineups
Bologna: | Meret; Malcuit, Albiol, Maksimovic, Ghoulam; Callejon, Zielinski, Ruiz, Insigne; Mertens, Milik. |
Napoli: | Skorupski; Mbaye, Lyanco, Danilo, Dijks; Pulgar, Poll; Orsolini, Soriano, Palacio; Destro. |
Head to Head Record
Since the start of the decade, the teams have squared off on 17 different occasions, with Napoli comfortably leading the head to head standings with 11 wins to Bologna's four. Unfortunately for fans of I Veltri, recent history is even less kind to the team from northern Italy.
Napoli have won the last six encounters between the sides, racking up some big scorelines in the process; the worst being a 7-1 mauling at Renato Dall'Ara in 2017.
CARLO HERMANN/GettyImages
Napoli managed to maintain their impressive record last time out thanks to an 88th minute winner from Mertens in a 3-2 thriller at San Paolo.
Recent Form
Napoli enter the fixture off the back of four consecutive victories; the most impressive of which came last week against Champions League hopefuls Inter. I Nerazzurri had arrived at San Paolo unbeaten in their last seven, and knowing a victory would all but secure them a top four finish.
However, Napoli had other ideas - dispatching Inter in a devastating display that saw them take a 4-0 lead before Mauro Icardi grabbed a consolation goal for Inter late on.
Marco Rosi/GettyImages
Bologna are on something of a purple patch themselves, having picked up ten points in their last five fixtures to climb up to 12th place in the league.
I Rossoblu have averaged almost three goals a game in these results and have treated their fans to some scintillating attacking football; most notably in their 4-0 pummelling of Parma in the derby.
Here is a look at how both sides have fared in their five previous outings.
Bologna | Napoli |
Lazio 3-3 Bologna (20/5) | Napoli 4-1 Inter (19/5) |
Bologna 4-1 Parma (13/5) | SPAL 1-2 Napoli (12/5) |
Milan 2-1 Bologna (6/5) | Napoli 2-1 Cagliari (5/5) |
Bologna 3-1 Empoli (27/4) | Frosinone 0-2 Napoli (28/4) |
Bologna 3-0 Sampdoria (20/4) | Napoli 1-2 Atalanta (22/4) |
Prediction
Despite both teams appearing to enter the fixture with little to play for, the combination of good form and a desire to finish the season on a high means neither one of these sides will be taking this match lightly.
Whilst Napoli will finish second place regardless of the result, such is the nature of the bottom half of the table that a win for Bologna could see them end up in tenth, whereas a loss could result in an unenviable 16th place finish.
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After yet again succumbing in the league to a Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Juventus, and being knocked out of the Europa League by Unai Emery's Arsenal, a lesser side would have faltered under the disappointment. However, Napoli have become a winning machine in recent years, and Ancelotti is not the sort of manager who will allow his players to rest on their laurels.
Expect Napoli to edge a cracker and both teams to continue their remarkable recent goal scoring record.
