King Saud University Stadium sets the stage for a high-stakes Supercoppa Italiana semi-final tie between Bologna and Inter. The winner of this match-up will face Napoli in the grand final.Antonio Cont...
King Saud University Stadium sets the stage for a high-stakes Supercoppa Italiana semi-final tie between Bologna and Inter. The winner of this match-up will face Napoli in the grand final.
Antonio Conte’s side beat Milan 2-0 in the first semi-final yesterday, securing a chance to win this title for the first time since 2014. Bologna will be keen to stop them in their tracks and add to their dusty trophy cabinet. However, they must first overcome Inter.
Vincenzo Italiano’s team squeezed past Milan in last season’s Coppa Italia final to halt a 51-year title drought. In doing so, Bologna locked down their maiden appearance in this showpiece event. Yet, Bologna’s confidence took a hit ahead of their trip to Saudi Arabia as Juventus eked out a 1-0 win at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.
In the meantime, Lautaro Martinez and Yann Bisseck inspired Inter to a 2-1 triumph at Genoa on Sunday, bolstering the squad’s spirits ahead of Cristian Chivu’s touchline debut in the Supercoppa. The 45-year-old must be brimming with confidence after leading his side to four successive wins in domestic competitions.
Still, Inter would be naive to take Bologna lightly, having only won one of their last six meetings in all competitions. With that in mind, Inter’s appearance in the title-deciding fixture is all but guaranteed despite the Nerazzurri’s strong pre-match favoritism.
Match Preview
Bologna
Playing on a neutral venue could be a blessing in disguise for Bologna after Juventus condemned them to back-to-back home defeats for the first time since January 2022. Adding to this sentiment, the reigning Coppa Italia winners have avoided defeat in their last eight matches outside Renato Dall’Ara (W5, D3).
Italiano’s men will have to lace up their scoring boots if they’re to navigate this tie, especially considering that five of their last six games saw both teams on the scoresheet. Particularly prolific after the halftime interval, 13 of Bologna’s last 17 goals have come in the second half, suggesting a potential for the Rossoblu’s slow start.
However, after claiming a last-gasp 1-0 victory in their last meeting with Inter in April, Bologna could win consecutive clashes against the Nerazzurri for the first time in the 21st century. Addressing their defensive woes could be crucial, given that they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last six outings across all competitions.
Inter
Sunday’s tight victory at Stadio Luigi Ferraris catapulted Inter back to the top of Serie A, maintaining a feel-good factor around the San Siro camp. Interestingly, that result maintained their trend of not sharing the spoils in competitive matches under Chivu (W16, L6), indicating that this fixture could be settled in regulation time.
Unlike Bologna, Chivu’s charges have been firing on all cylinders this season, racking up a league-high 34 goals at an average of 2.26 per game. Inter’s newfound ruthlessness in front of goal might face a stern test here, as they’ve netted one goal or fewer in two of their last three encounters against the Emilia-Romagna outfit.
It’s worth noting that Inter’s free-scoring form has taken a toll on their defensive output. Indeed, the 20-time Italian champions have conceded at least once in four of their last five encounters away from San Siro (W3, L2), with the only shutout coming against Serie A newcomers Pisa at the tail-end of November.
Team News
Veteran midfielder Remo Freuler and first-choice goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski headline Bologna’s substantial list of absentees. In addition to the two first-team stalwarts, Italiano cannot call upon Kevin Bonifazi, Nicolo Casale, and Martin Vitik. Federico Ravaglia will take Skorupski’s place in goal, with Nikola Moro expected to replace Freuler in the engine room.
On the other hand, Inter took this Middle East trip without Denzel Dumfries and Francesco Acerbi. With the Dutch wingback injured, Chivu is likely to turn to underperforming Luis Henrique to fill the vacancy on the right wing. Meanwhile, Hakan Calhanoglu could make an unlikely start despite slumping to a minor muscle injury against Liverpool last week.
Bologna vs Inter Potential Starting Lineups
Bologna (4-2-3-1): Ravaglia; Holm, Lucumi, Heggem, Miranda; Moro, Ferguson; Orsolini, Odgaard, Cambiaghi; Castro.
Inter (3-5-2): Josep Martinez; Akanji, Bisseck, Bastoni; Henrique, Barella, Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Lautaro Martinez.
Bologna vs Inter Prediction
Four clean sheets across their last six Supercoppa showdowns helped Inter win three of the four most recent tournament editions. As a result, they’re potentially 180 minutes away from equaling Juventus’ record of nine Supercoppa titles.
Despite their recent struggles against Bologna, we expect the Nerazzurri to reach the final.
Category: General Sports
