Both adapting to life under new management, Napoli and Bologna will seek their first Serie A win of the season when they meet on Sunday evening.
The hosts endured a nightmare start by losing in Verona, while their Champions League-bound counterparts had to settle for a home draw against Udinese.
Match preview
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Losing their opening league match of a new season for the first time since 2015, Napoli suffered a chastening 3-0 defeat at the hands of Hellas Verona last week, highlighting just how far the 2023 Scudetto-winners have fallen.
For the only time in his largely successful career, coach Antonio Conte lost a Serie A opener - having previously posted five wins and one draw - as his team crumbled during the second half at Stadio Bentegodi.
Stretching back to last season, Napoli have failed to win any of their last eight league games - equalling the club's worst such run for 15 years - and they only scraped past Coppa Italia opponents Modena via a penalty shootout earlier this month.
After finishing their title defence down in 10th place, some 41 points adrift of new champions Inter Milan, president Aurelio De Laurentiis called upon Conte to bring the good times back, but so far things have not run smoothly.
Victor Osimhen's future remains up in the air - locking up precious transfer funds - and recruitment has therefore been limited; however, Brazilian winger David Neres recently joined fellow new boy Alessandro Buongiorno at Stadio Maradona.
A tough test awaits Conte and co this weekend, as not only did Napoli fail to find the net in either of last season's meetings with Bologna, but they have also gone three games without a win against the Emilian club.
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After the 2-0 win at the Maradona in May 2024, Bologna could win consecutive away games against Napoli for the second time in their history in Serie A – the first was between 1935 and 1936, u
In the last three Serie A campaigns (since 2022/23), Riccardo Orsolini is the Italian player who has scored the most goals in the league (22)...captain??
Vinnie...like at former club Fiorentina, his side failed to take their numerous chances.......
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Giovanni Simeone has scored four goals against Bologna in Serie A (three for Cagliari and one for Genoa). The 1995-born player is going through his longest streak of consecutive games without scoring a goal in the top-flight (24) – he netted his last goal in the league on 27th of September 2023,
apoli is, however, the opponent against which Orsolini has played the most matches without scoring or providing an assist in the competition (10).
Napoli possible starting lineup:
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Bologna possible starting lineup:
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We say: Napoli X-Y Bologna
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