Preview: Napoli vs Bologna - prediction, team news, lineups

With one win between them so far, both Napoli and Bologna will vie for three precious points on Sunday evening, when they go toe-to-toe at Stadio Maradona.

The hosts have just suffered back-to-back defeats against the champions of Italy and England, while the visitors snatched their first Serie A point last weekend.

Match preview

Napoli may have started life under new management with a 2-0 win in Genoa, but Max Allegri's men have since seen their limitations exposed.

Serie A champions in 2025 and runners-up to Inter Milan just a few months ago, the Partenopei came through a tough trio of fixtures empty-handed.

Following a 2-1 home loss to Como, an implosion against Inter cost them dearly at San Siro, after two quickfire goals from Matteo Politano and Rasmus Hojlund had apparently claimed control.

Almost inevitably, the Scudetto holders fought back, and captain Lautaro Martinez scored their winner in stoppage time, consigning Napoli to another defeat.

There was no time to reflect, as Arsenal arrived in Naples just four days later and claimed three Champions League points thanks to their inspired skipper, Martin Odegaard.

While the nature of Napoli's schedule must be acknowledged, fans are already starting to grumble, and complaints could increase if they suffer three consecutive league defeats for the first time since January 2020.

Not a universally popular appointment, Allegri must try to avoid that fate this weekend, when history will be on the hosts' side: they have won nine of their last 12 home games against Bologna and beat the Rossoblu in last year's Supercoppa Italiana final.

However, Bologna have prevailed on two of their last three trips to the Maradona, and they did the league double over Napoli last season - including a dramatic 3-2 away win in May.

Much has changed since then, as the transition from former coach Vincenzo Italiano to new boss Domenico Tedesco has not gone smoothly.

Tedesco's first competitive game was a 1-0 loss to Lazio, and they were then beaten by Atalanta in Bergamo.

La Dea stole all three points with almost the last kick of that match, but Bologna flipped the script a few days later, when Artem Dovbyk scored a late leveller at home to Sassuolo.

Though avoiding defeat in an Emilian derby brought a surge of relief, Tedesco's team are one of six without a win in Serie A and have only scored twice so far.

Still searching for the result that could kick-start their campaign, they will head south to Campania this weekend.

Napoli Serie A form:

Napoli form (all competitions):

Bologna Serie A form:

Team News

Napoli sustained a couple of casualties in midweek, as goalkeeper Alex Meret was forced off with a thigh strain and Alisson Santos suffered a hamstring injury.

Both will be out of action until after the international break, so Vanja Milinkovic-Savic should deputise for Meret on Sunday.

Scott McTominay, Giovane, Alessandro Buongiorno and Luca Marianucci were already missing, but Frank Anguissa could now return from an adductor problem.

Set to lead the hosts' attack once again, Hojlund has scored in four of his last five league appearances, dating back to the tail end of last season.

Meanwhile, Dovbyk and Roberto Piccoli both scored their first Bologna goal against Sassuolo, and they will continue to fight for selection up front.

The visitors' absence list is relatively short, but it does feature long-serving talisman Riccardo Orsolini, who has scored in each of the last eight Serie A seasons.

The Italy winger has been ruled out for most of this month, joining Oussama El Azzouzi on the sidelines.

Napoli possible starting lineup:

Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Marin, Spinazzola; Anguissa, Lobotka, De Bruyne; Politano, Hojlund, Neres

Bologna possible starting lineup:

Skorupski; Holm, Heggem, Theate, Miranda; Ferguson, Moro; Bernardeschi, Odgaard, Cambiaghi; Piccoli

We say: Napoli 2-1 Bologna

Although Napoli are struggling to find an identity under Allegri - and have leaked an alarming amount of chances - Bologna have also looked vulnerable at the back.

It could be quite a tense, close-fought affair, in which the hosts' superior attack proves the deciding factor.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.