Serie A Preview: Bologna vs Inter – Team News, Lineups & Prediction
Defending Serie A champions Inter head south this weekend to face out-of-sorts Bologna at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara. Saturday’s clash in Emilia-Romagna offers Cristian Chivu’s side a chance to bounce back from another Champions League fiasco.
However, Bologna will be in no mood to let Inter recover from a stunning 4-3 home defeat to Club Brugge as they bid to mount a comeback after a slow start. Former manager Domenico Tedesco got fired after collecting just one point from the opening four Serie A rounds (D1, L3).
Despite sharing the spoils with Torino on his touchline debut, new boss Raffaele Palladino has steered Bologna away from the bottom three. Last weekend’s 2-1 victory at Lecce helped the Rossoblu finally get off the mark this season and move a point clear of 18th-placed Parma.
In stark contrast, Inter have enjoyed a near-flawless start to their Scudetto defense. Except for a dramatic 2-2 draw against Roma, the reigning holders have won all five remaining league fixtures, including a 3-0 rout of Parma last weekend. Yet, the Nerazzurri head into proceedings as joint leaders, sitting level on points with Lazio.
That’s the only positive for Inter in the infancy of the 2026/27 season, considering they’ve lost both Champions League outings and are now highly unlikely to fight for a top-eight finish.
Match Preview
Bologna
After squeaking past Lecce last Sunday, Bologna will have their sights set on winning back-to-back league games for the first time since mid-May. However, that could prove easier said than done. Palladino’s men are winless in six Serie A home matches (D4, L2), with their last such victory coming in early April.
Bologna’s home slump paints a bleak picture ahead of Inter’s visit, but their recent record in this fixture offers Palladino’s side a silver lining. Indeed, Bologna have only lost one of their last five top-flight meetings with the Nerazzurri (W2, D2), including a high-scoring 3-3 draw here on the final day of last season.
That stalemate means Bologna have now suffered just one defeat across their last five league encounters against Inter at Dall’Ara (W3, D1). There’s a feeling that extending that promising-looking run may hinge on Bologna’s ability to address their defensive issues, as they’ve yet to keep a clean sheet on home turf this term (D2, L1).
Inter
Club Brugge condemned Inter to a fourth consecutive Champions League defeat for the first time in the club’s history on Tuesday. Chivu’s charges will, therefore, be desperate to shrug off that gut-wrenching feeling and maintain their formidable form in Serie A, where they are leading the way after six rounds.
With only a point separating the top three teams in the table, there’s little wiggle room for the Nerazzurri, whose recent away form fails to inspire confidence. Barring a narrow 1-0 victory at Cagliari in late August, Inter have gone winless in three of their last four competitive matches on the road (D2, L1), conceding precisely two goals on each occasion.
Despite their defensive vulnerability, Chivu’s men have been unstoppable in the final third, scoring at least twice on five of their last six road trips in Serie A. Against this backdrop, they had netted one goal or fewer in five successive away league clashes against Bologna before the abovementioned draw at the tail-end of last season.
Team News
In addition to long-term absentee Emil Holm, Bologna will also be without their talismanic winger, Riccardo Orsolini. The Italian star’s absence may not be the only attacking concern for Palladino, as Samuel Mbangula is facing a race against time to make the matchday squad. If deemed unfit, he would likely surrender his place in the starting lineup to Nicolo Cambiaghi.
As for Inter, captain Lautaro Martinez has suffered a thigh injury and will be ruled out until the next international break. El Toro has joined John Stones and Curtis Jones in the treatment room. On a more positive note, Djed Spence has regained match fitness and could make his first Serie A start at the expense of Andy Diouf.
Bologna vs Inter Potential Starting Lineups
Bologna (3-4-2-1): Pessina; Darmian, Heggem, Theate; Zortea, Ferguson, Pobega, Miranda; Bernardeschi, Cambiaghi; Piccoli.
Inter (3-5-2): J. Martinez; Pavard, Akanji, Augusto; Spence, Barella, Calhanoglu, Sucic, Dimarco; Thuram, Esposito.
Bologna vs Inter Prediction
It’s been a while since Bologna last won a home fixture, and it’s difficult to expect them to buck that unwanted trend now. Inter must mentally recover from another Champions League shock, and this feels like a prime opportunity for Chivu’s side to return to winning ways.
Prediction: Inter to Win
