- 1 Naples vs Bologna: two sides already in a mess meet at the Maradona
- 2 Naples need a foothold after three straight setbacks
- 3 Bologna still chasing a first win
- 4 Serie A prediction Naples vs Bologna
- 5 Before anything else, a word on our free picks
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Naples vs Bologna: two sides already in a mess meet at the Maradona 
Naples have not won since 22 August. Three straight defeats have sent Max Allegri’s side tumbling to 12th in Serie A, with just three points on the board.
Bologna arrive with an even leaner return: one point from three games, no wins at all. Domenico Tedesco has yet to find the formula to get the Rossoblu moving in the right direction.
The match is set for Sunday 13 September at 18:00, Italian time, at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. It opens Sunday night in round four.
Both sides share an awkward reality: they sit in the bottom half of the table and the season has only just begun. Naples are 12th on three points, Bologna 15th on one.
The fixture list has not been kind to the Neapolitans, who faced Inter and Arsenal in the Champions League within four days. Both games ended in defeat.
Bologna, meanwhile, opened against Lazio and Atalanta, two teams already sitting near the top. The draw earned against Sassuolo is their only point of the season so far.
Even so, the bookmakers make the Partenopei favourites at around 1.71 for a home win. The goals line is set at 2.5, which hints at a fairly tight game.
One number captures the size of the challenge this weekend: Naples are six points behind the leading trio of Roma, Inter and Lazio. That gap is not fatal, but it can hardly grow any wider.
Bologna are fighting a different battle, trying to stay clear of the drop zone. One point from three games leaves almost no room for error.
Naples need a foothold after three straight setbacks 
Naples began the season with a 2-0 win away at Genoa. Since then, very little has gone right.
Como came to the Maradona and won 2-1 in round two. That setback piled immediate pressure on Allegri, who has replaced Antonio Conte.
At San Siro, the Naples side scored twice again but conceded three against Inter. Scoring is not the issue right now. Keeping the ball out is.
Their Champions League trip did nothing to help either: Arsenal left the Maradona with a 1-0 win on Wednesday night. Naples finished their European week without scoring at home.
Rasmus Hojlund, signed permanently from Manchester United in the 2026 summer window, is still the man expected to turn games like this. The Dane should lead the line ahead of De Bruyne, Lobotka and Vergara if the predicted XI is confirmed.
One detail works in the hosts’ favour: their only win this season came away from home, and the Maradona is still waiting for its first. A run like that does not usually last forever against an opponent in this kind of shape.
The attacking output has not vanished, though, as Naples have scored in two of their three league games. The problem is clearly at the back.
With five goals conceded, they sit in the middle of the pack defensively. That is five times worse than Juventus or Roma over the same stretch.
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Bologna still chasing a first win 
Bologna began with back-to-back defeats against Lazio and Atalanta, both by the same 1-0 scoreline. Two matches, zero goals, zero points.
The attack finally clicked in round three with a 2-2 draw against Sassuolo. Those are the only two Rossoblu goals of the season so far.
Two goals scored and four conceded in three games leaves Bologna 15th, only one point above the relegation zone.
The opening run explains some of the stumble, with Lazio and Atalanta waiting right out of the gate. A trip to the Maradona does not look much like the ideal place for a gentle reset either.
One stat sums up the problem: 14 Serie A clubs already have at least one win. Bologna are not among them. Only five other teams in the division are in the same boat.
Tedesco also has to deal with blunt finishing from his forwards, who have scored in just one of the three matches. That is the main brake on any away push.
The club is one of six sides still without a win in Serie A, alongside Parma, Monza, Venezia, Genoa and Fiorentina. Not exactly comforting company.
Two goals in three games put Bologna among the quietest attacks in the division. Only Parma, Genoa and Fiorentina have done worse.
Expected Naples XI: Meret ; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Marin, Spinazzola ; De Bruyne, Lobotka, Vergara ; Politano, Hojlund, Santos
Expected Bologna XI: Not released at the time of publication.
Serie A prediction Naples vs Bologna
Our prediction: Naples to win
Naples have the stronger attack, with five goals to Bologna’s two across the opening three rounds. That gap is clear enough for such a short spell.
Bologna have only found the net in one match this season, and they have drawn a blank in their two toughest outings. A trip to the Maradona falls firmly into that bracket.
The 1.71 price offers fair value on a Naples response in front of their own fans after a week of two defeats. We are backing a Naples win.
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