Massimiliano Allegri has called on Napoli to maintain their composure as they pursue their first home victory of the season against Bologna in Serie A.
To date, Allegri has not experienced success at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, suffering a loss to Como in his initial home league match and falling 1-0 to Arsenal during the midweek Champions League fixture.
This recent outing marked Napoli’s third consecutive defeat across all competitions, following their disappointing loss to Inter, where they squandered a 2-0 lead, ultimately losing 3-2 at San Siro.
Napoli has not encountered three straight losses in Serie A since Gennaro Gattuso was in charge in January 2020, a streak that Allegri is eager to avoid repeating.
He stressed the importance of avoiding distractions if they wish to regain their winning form and close the points gap with the top teams.
“This is our chance to secure our first home win,” Allegri stated.
“We haven’t achieved that yet, and there’s not much to discuss; we are fully aware of our situation. After three straight losses, we need to take action, not just talk.
“We have the right players to approach the game effectively. It’s up to us to change our fortunes; no one is going to hand us anything, and we must handle this situation with calmness.”
“While focusing on our technical performance is essential, the outcome is what truly matters, and we will need everyone’s contribution.”
On the other side, Bologna remains one of five teams yet to register a win in Serie A this season, having managed just one draw and two losses so far. They have scored only two goals which reflect their struggle, failing to net fewer than three goals in their first four matches of a season only since the 2018-19 campaign.
Final touches ahead of Bologna clash https://t.co/gXSFyD42kF
— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) September 12, 2026
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Napoli – Rasmus Hojlund
Hojlund has found the back of the net in four of his previous five Serie A matches, including his last two against Como and Inter.
If he scores in three consecutive league games, it will mark a third such occurrence in Europe’s top five leagues, having previously accomplished this in January 2023 with Atalanta and between December 2023 and February 2024 with Manchester United.
Bologna – Artem Dovbyk
Dovbyk, who netted against Sassuolo last time out, hasn’t scored in consecutive Serie A matches since March 2025.
The Ukrainian forward has achieved a quarter of his 16 Serie A goals in September (four), which is his most productive month alongside January.
MATCH PREDICTION: NAPOLI WIN
Napoli has claimed nine victories in their last 12 home games versus Bologna (with three losses); however, Bologna has triumphed in two of their last three clashes in this setting.
Bologna has secured wins in their last two Serie A encounters against Napoli, having only managed one win in the preceding 11 (D4 L6).
The last time Bologna achieved more than two consecutive wins against Napoli in the top flight was between 1935 and 1937, when they won five under manager Arpad Weisz.
Napoli has failed to score in three of their last six Serie A encounters against Bologna, following an uninterrupted streak of 20 matches during which they scored against them (totaling 55 goals at an average of 2.75 per match).
Despite a recent loss to Atalanta, Bologna has achieved six wins in their last eight Serie A away matches (L2); since February, only Como (seven) has recorded more wins during this period, with Inter and AC Milan also boasting six victories.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Napoli – 51.6%
Draw – 25.6%
Bologna – 22.8%
In the fast-paced world of soccer, Napoli’s struggle could resonate with fans as it reflects the highs and lows that clubs face throughout a season. A victory could shift their momentum, igniting hope for a stronger performance moving forward, and implications for league standings can stir excitement for both supporters and pundits alike.
Source: www.soccernews.com
