Bologna vs Sassuolo

Bologna will come into this fixture looking to forget their recent disappointing 2-0 loss to Napoli in the Supercoppa Italiana final, where they suffered a brace from David Neres. They sit 6th in the standings, with 7 wins, 4 draws, and 4 defeats from their opening 15 matches.

Their numbers underline a team built on structure and balance: 23 goals scored and just 13 conceded, giving them an impressive +10 goal difference. At home, the Rossoblù have been particularly reliable with four wins from seven league games this season.

More broadly, they are unbeaten in 22 of their last 26 Serie A matches at the Dall’Ara. Defensively, they have been excellent on their own turf, conceding an average of just 0.71 goals per home game, making it one of the more difficult venues to visit in the division.

Recent form suggests a fairly even contest. Both sides have taken 2 wins, 2 draws, and 2 defeats from their last six matches.

From a stylistic perspective, Bologna tends to dominate matches at home with better organization and defensive discipline. The head-to-head record offers little separation, with Bologna winning 50% of the last six meetings between the sides.

Nevertheless, putting an end to a three-game winless run remains one of the objectives here [WWLDL]. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Santiago Castro in attack is expected against newly promoted Sassuolo. Torbjørn Heggem is suspended for this fixture.

In football terms, Sassuolo, by contrast, are more reactive away from home. Their underlying numbers show lower possession (44.3%) and fewer shots (11.5 per game, 4.17 on target), suggesting they are comfortable ceding territory and looking to strike on the break.

Sassuolo have been marginally more productive going forward in that span, averaging 1.67 goals per game. They arrive in 10th place, with 6 wins, 3 draws, and 7 defeats from 16 matches.

Their season has been slightly less consistent, but they remain dangerous, particularly away from home. The Neroverdi boast a 50% win rate in their last six away Serie A games and are unbeaten in five of their last six away league fixtures, evidence that they are capable of troubling strong home sides.

Their attacking output has been respectable, with 21 goals scored, though conceding 20 highlights some defensive fragility.

Ultimately, Bologna’s strong home form and defensive record give them a slight edge, but Sassuolo’s recent away resilience means this is unlikely to be straightforward.

A 4—3—3 formation with Volpato, Armand Laurienté, and Walid Cheddira in attack is expected against Bologna.