Preview: Inter Milan vs. Bologna – prediction, team news, lineups

Seeking a seventh league win in a row, reigning Serie A champions Inter Milan will welcome Bologna to San Siro on Wednesday evening.

Inter can move within one point of the top spot by beating their Rossoblu rivals who were cruelly denied victory last time out.

Match preview

© Imago

Days after throwing away a two-goal lead to lose the Supercoppa Italiana final to their city rivals, Inter immediately resumed normal service on Sunday.

After being forced to watch as AC Milan lifted the trophy they had won for each of the past three seasons, Simone Inzaghis team returned to action with a 1-0 win over Serie A champions Venezia at Stadio Penzo.

In the process, Inter added to their growing collection of clean sheets and the last league goal they conceded away from home came against Udinese back in September.

Home or away, they have now won four consecutive top-flight matches without conceding a single goal – the club’s best run since 2021 – and are unbeaten in 13 Serie A matches.

All this leaves them four points behind leaders Napoli, but with two games remaining due to their involvement in the Supercoppa and an abandoned game against Fiorentina.

As well as keeping things close at the back – apart from conceding three against Milan and four against Juventus – Inzaghi’s men are the division’s top scorers, averaging over 2.5 goals per game. match.

Coming into Wednesday’s clash, they have found the net at least once in their last 31 league games at the San Siro, so Bologna will certainly be wary.

© Imago

In three meetings last season, Inter picked up four points in Serie A, while Bologna picked up a dramatic extra-time victory in the Coppa Italia.

The Rossoblu now return to the San Siro for the first time since that cup success, aiming to continue a remarkable trend: they have scored in each of the clubs’ last 13 league meetings in Milan.

Bologna belatedly played their first game of 2025 last weekend, coming seconds after starting the year with a home win, but they ultimately had to settle for a draw against Roma.

After falling behind early in the second half at the Stadio Dall’Ara, Thijs Dallinga‘s second goal of the season was quickly followed by Lewis Ferguson scoring from the spot; but when John Lucumi conceded a last gasp for a VAR-awarded handball, their visitors grabbed a point.

Because of such costly mistakes, Vincenzo ItalianoThe team have now conceded five goals from the 90th minute onwards in Serie A this season – just fewer than Como. Furthermore, they have dropped 15 points from winning positions so far, with only second-bottom Venezia shedding more.

Nevertheless, the Emilian club still sit eighth in the table and have only lost twice on their travels around Italy this season, so they may have a hope of toppling Inter again.

Inter Milan Serie A form:

Inter Milan form (all competitions):

Bologna Serie A form:

Bologna form (all competitions):

Team news

© Imago

Simone Inzaghi chose an unknown midfield trio Nicolo Barella, Kristjan Asllani and Piotr Zielinski Sunday, and they can go together again in midweek.

Regular starters Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Hakan Calhanoglu – the latter of whom has been involved in five goals from five league games against Bologna at the San Siro – are both ruled out with thigh problems, while Davide Frattesi is being heavily linked with a mid-season move.

French couple Benjamin Pavard and Marcus Thuram has recently returned from injury, however Yann Bisseck and Joaquin Correa is still sidelined.

Meanwhile, Bologna could call on the former Milan midfielder Tommaso Pobegawho has served a one-match ban for his red card against Hellas Verona, but Colombian centre-back Jhon Lucumi is now suspended for accumulated bookings.

Long-term absence Oussama El Azzouzi and Niccolo Cambiaghi have both returned to training, however, as has the Swiss midfielder Michel Aebischernone of them are ready for action yet.

Hoping for a recall after being dropped over the weekend, Riccardo Orsolini has played a part in three goals in his last four league games against Inter; he will compete with several others to support either Thijs Dallinga or Santiago Castro in front.

Inter Milan possible starting line-up:
Summer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Zielinski, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram

Bologna’s possible starting line-up:
Skorupski; Holm, Beukema, Casale, Miranda; Freuler, Pobega; Orsolini, Ferguson, Dominguez; Castro

We say: Inter Milan 2-1 Bologna

Only one of the last 13 Serie A matches between Inter and Bologna has ended in a draw with eight wins for the Nerazzurri and four Rossoblu successes.

That trend should continue in midweek as Inter can build more momentum behind their Scudetto push by taking maximum points.

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

Email previews