Serie A: Bologna’s Top Four Credentials Face the Biggest Test

Bologna vs Inter Milan

Fourth hosts first in the Serie A match of the weekend as surprise package Bologna welcome Champions elect Inter Milan to the Renato Dall’ Ara.

The stadium will be bouncing for two teams which are bang in form. Bologna’s winning run has put them in a strong position to win a Champions League place while Inter Milan have all but won the Scudetto with a whopping 15 point lead over second placed Juventus.    

Bologna boss Thiago Motta has done an incredible job with I Rossoblu this season and fans outside Milan and Turin are cheering on the underdogs as they aim to join Europe’s elite. But this weekend they will face their biggest test of the campaign so far against a side which is streets ahead of the rest. Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan beat Genoa 2-1 last time out while Bologna come into the game on the back of a 2-1 win away to Atalanta.  

It’s some time since the Serie A 2024 betting odds have looked anywhere but Milan for the 2024 Scudetto winners and they have beaten all comers in recent weeks; but Bologna, with all to play for, will let the league leaders know they are in a game.   

Talking Points

Bologna’s young stars are in demand  

While the manager at Bologna has won many admirers this season his players have certainly done the business on the pitch and Europe’s biggest teams are keeping close tabs on those who have caught the eye. Striker Joshua Zirkzee has ten goals and seven assists to his name this season and his form has attracted the attention of Premier League high flyers Arsenal. Bologna may be happy to cash in at the end of the season and they value their man at an eye-watering 80m Euros. But that’s the going rate for a top striker and Zirkzee has certainly broken through this season. 

The 22 year old Dutch star moved from Bayern Munich in 2022 and, while he spent last season finding his feet in Italy he has become one of Serie A’s top players this term. Lazio were in good form when they hosted Bologna recently and they went one up, but I Rossoblu fought back and it was Zirkzee who scored the winner; and he was on target again in Bologna’s win over Atalanta last week.

Step up another of Bologna’s young stars as it was 24 year old Scotland midfielder Lewis Ferguson who scored the winner against Atalanta to make it six goals and five assists in all competitions. The former Aberdeen player took the captain’s armband in October and he has stepped up superbly since taking on the responsibility. An attacking midfielder Ferguson sits just behind Zirkzee, while wide man Riccardo Orsolini is another highly productive player, scoring nine goals this season.

Bologna’s defenders have caught the eye too. Juventus have been linked with a move for 21 year old Riccardo Calafiori, who can operate at left back or on the left side of a centre back pairing or three. He has been another key component in Bologna’s success and Motta knows he needs to deliver Champions League football to keep hold of his brightest stars.         

100 up Martinez is pure gold

While Inter Milan has a team full of big names, and he didn’t score in the win over Genoa, striker Lautaro Martinez has been the standout star in Serie A this season. With 23 goals he is way ahead in the race for the Capocannoniere, eight goals ahead of the chasing pack and the Argentine World Cup winner has also picked up the team captaincy.

Now 26 years old, Martinez has been with Inter for five years and he scored his 100^th and 101^st goals for I Nerazzurri in a recent 4-0 win over Lecce. He’s now scored 102 goals in 198 appearances for Inter and this is set to be his best campaign yet. His dynamism, speed, trickery and finishing skills make him the near perfect striker and I’m not going to speculate how much money it would take to take Martinez away from Milan.    

Any thoughts that Atalanta could give Inter a game when they met recently were quickly dismissed as they too took a 4-0 thrashing, Martinez on the mark again. Inter’s Serie A 2024 results have been simply sensational and if Martinez stays fit then I see no reason why anything should change there.  

History

Inter Milan have won 29 of their last 52 encounters with Bologna, losing 11 and drawing 12 but I Rossoblu dumped Inzaghi’s team out of the Coppa Italia in December as Sam Beukema and Dan Ndoye both scored in extra time.

In terms of recent form, both teams have won the last six games. And Bologna’s home record is 11-2-1 while Inter’s away record is 11-2-0.  

Betting Tip

This is a clash between two teams in great form. The hosts are at SBOTOP odds of 3.17 to win and 3.03 to draw while I Nerazzurri are at 2.06 to take all three points.

Bologna have scored in their last 11 matches at home while Inter have scored in their last 20 away games; so I’m going for that trend to continue… and not with a 1-1 draw!   

 

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