Match Information
Match Overview
Napoli host Bologna at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on September 13 in Regular Season - 4, a fixture that arrives early in the campaign but already carries weight given both sides' uneven starts. Napoli sit 13th and Bologna 15th, a table snapshot that underlines how much work remains for two clubs likely to expect more from their seasons.
Recent form is the dominant storyline here. Napoli under M. Allegri have lost their last two league outings, falling 3-2 away to Inter on September 5 and 1-2 at home to Como on August 30, sandwiched around an opening-day 2-0 win at Genoa. The trend is concerning defensively, having conceded in every league match so far this season, and Allegri will be looking for a response after back-to-back defeats. Bologna, meanwhile, arrive having lost their opening two league matches to Lazio and Atalanta before salvaging a 2-2 draw at home to Sassuolo on September 6 under D. Tedesco. Neither side has found consistency, making this an opportunity for either manager to build early-season momentum.
With no injuries reported for either squad, both managers should be able to select from full-strength options, adding weight to tactical selection rather than enforced changes. Napoli's attack, featuring R. Højlund and M. Politano in the last lineup, will look to exploit a Bologna defense that has already shipped goals in each of its three league games. Bologna's own approach, built around R. Piccoli up top, will test a Napoli backline that has struggled to keep clean sheets.
With the season taking shape and both teams searching for their first signs of consistency, this Regular Season - 4 meeting offers both Allegri and Tedesco a chance to steady their respective campaigns before the table gaps widen further.
Predicted Lineups
Napoli
A. Meret; G. Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Rafa Marín, L. Spinazzola; A. Zambo Anguissa, S. Lobotka, A. Vergara; M. Politano, R. Højlund, Alisson Santos
Bologna
Ł. Skorupski; E. Holm, T. Heggem, A. Theate, R. Alhassane; L. Ferguson, T. Pobega, F. Bernardeschi, J. Odgaard, N. Cambiaghi; R. Piccoli
Team Form Analysis
Napoli
League Position: 13Napoli Form Analysis
Napoli's start to the season has been mixed, with one win and two losses across their opening three Serie A fixtures. The sequence began positively with a 2-0 away victory at Genoa on August 22, but has since unraveled with a 1-2 home defeat to Como on August 30 and a 3-2 loss at Inter on September 5. The Inter match in particular saw Napoli score twice away from home, suggesting the attack led by R. Højlund and M. Politano can trouble strong opposition, but defensive frailties have undone that output. Napoli have conceded in all three league matches so far, a pattern that will concern Allegri heading into the Bologna fixture. Preseason friendlies offered some encouragement, including a 6-2 win over Aris Thessalonikis, but competitive form has not carried that momentum forward. With two defeats in the last two league outings, Napoli will be eager to arrest the slide on home soil at the Maradona and restore some defensive solidity alongside their evident attacking threat.
Bologna
League Position: 15Bologna Form Analysis
Bologna's opening weeks of the season have been difficult, with defeats to Lazio (0-1, August 24) and Atalanta (1-0, August 31) preceding a 2-2 draw against Sassuolo at home on September 6. That result snapped a run of losses and showed signs of attacking life, with Bologna scoring twice against Sassuolo after being shut out in their first two league matches. Defensively, however, the team has conceded in every league fixture so far this season, a concern that Tedesco will need to address against a Napoli side capable of scoring away from home. The preseason form was also difficult, with losses to Brighton and Pisa in friendly action. Still, the draw with Sassuolo offers a foundation to build from, and R. Piccoli's presence up front alongside creative outlets like F. Bernardeschi and J. Odgaard gives Bologna attacking options as they look to find their first league win of the campaign.
Head-to-Head
Napoli
Bologna
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-11 | Napoli | 2 - 3 | Bologna |
| 2025-12-22 | Napoli | 2 - 0 | Bologna |
| 2025-11-09 | Bologna | 2 - 0 | Napoli |
| 2025-04-07 | Bologna | 1 - 1 | Napoli |
| 2024-08-25 | Napoli | 3 - 0 | Bologna |
| 2024-05-11 | Napoli | 0 - 2 | Bologna |
| 2023-09-24 | Bologna | 0 - 0 | Napoli |
| 2023-05-28 | Bologna | 2 - 2 | Napoli |
| 2022-10-16 | Napoli | 3 - 2 | Bologna |
| 2022-01-17 | Bologna | 0 - 2 | Napoli |
Memorable Matches
The history between these two sides has produced some dramatic results. On May 11, 2026, Bologna edged a five-goal thriller 3-2 away at Napoli, denying their hosts on the final day of encounters that season. Napoli responded with authority on December 22, 2025, winning 2-0 at home, while Bologna returned the favor with a 2-0 win of their own in Bologna on November 9, 2025. Further back, the August 25, 2024 meeting saw Napoli cruise to a 3-0 home win, while Bologna claimed a 2-0 away victory on May 11, 2024. The fixture has swung back and forth over recent seasons, with both sides capable of decisive results against the other, adding an extra edge to this latest meeting at the Maradona.
Venue Factor
The Stadio Diego Armando Maradona provides Napoli with a passionate home atmosphere that has long been considered one of Serie A's most intense settings, with supporters creating an environment that can lift the home side during difficult moments. For Bologna, the trip to Naples represents a significant test of their away form after already facing two away fixtures this season, at Atalanta and Brighton in friendly action. Napoli's home matches carry high expectations from supporters given the club's stature, and after back-to-back league defeats, the Maradona crowd will be looking for a response from Allegri's side. Bologna will need to manage that atmosphere while also finding a way to end their winless start on the road, making the venue itself as much a psychological factor as a
Injury Concerns
Napoli
No injuries reported
Bologna
