Napoli seal Lukaku deal ahead of Bologna clash.
Napoli, under immense pressure after a disastrous start to the season, host a confident Bologna side looking to capitalize on their strong away form in a key Serie A clash at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona this Sunday.
Napoli
Napoli's new manager, Antonio Conte, is already under immense pressure after a disastrous start to the 2024/25 Serie A campaign following a shocking 3-0 loss to Hellas Verona. The defeat to Verona, a team that barely avoided relegation last season, marked Napoli's worst Serie A opening-round result of the century. It was a stark reminder of their form following a shaky performance in the Coppa Italia, where they needed penalties to overcome Serie B side Modena.
Napoli’s recent home form has been particularly alarming. Last season, they managed to win just a third of their home games despite being favourites, culminating in a poor finish as a bottom-half team in terms of home performance. It included a 2-0 defeat to Bologna in their penultimate home game of the season, a result that looms large as they prepare to face the same opponents again this weekend.
Conte had refused to answer any questions about Napoli’s transfer activities, choosing to concentrate on Sunday’s game. ‘I want to talk about Bologna. As you know, it’s a big match. You know what they did last year. Let’s put all our focus on the game; it’s more important to me,’ he said in a pre-match press conference.
While a deal for Lukaku has been sealed, Antonio Conte is expected to deploy a 3—4—2—1, with Giovanni Simeone in attack. Victor Osimhen remains in doubt, having failed to feature for the club following his expected exit.
Bologna
Vincenzo Italiano made his Serie A managerial debut with a 1-1 draw against Udinese, where his side, Bologna, dominated with 74% possession and made 22 attempts on goal.
They come into Match Day 2 with a sense of optimism under their new manager, hoping to avoid defeat. Just two months ago, Conte praised Italiano as ‘one of the most promising coaches’ after his success guiding Fiorentina to a top-half finish and a second consecutive UEFA Conference League final.
Italiano’s ambition for Bologna surely includes a third consecutive top-half finish. Picking up valuable points early before the added pressure of European football kicks in would be ideal.
This weekend, their confidence will be bolstered by their strong away record as underdogs, having suffered only one defeat in 11 games (4W, 6D, 1L). A 4-2-3-1 formation with Argentine striker Santiago Castro in attack is expected against Napoli.
Nicolò Cambiaghi and Oussama El Azzouzi are ruled out of this fixture. Scottish midfielder Lewis Ferguson is also unavailable after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Team form
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