Liverpool take on the visitors Bologna in the round 2 match of UEFA Champions League group stage. The match will be played on Wednesday, October 2nd at
The Merseyside team has secured 7 wins in their last 8 games this season — the only slip-up was a shocking home loss to Nottingham Forest (0-1). Their match against AC Milan at San Siro was impressive and full of character, ending in a 3-1 comeback win. With Salah, Diaz, Gakpo, Jota (the Portuguese forward is doubtful for the Bologna match), and Szoboszlai, they have a formidable attacking line. However, in their most recent Premier League match, they had to dig deep to snatch a 2-1 victory away at Wolverhampton. Against Bologna, Slot's team will face an uncomfortable high-pressing style from Vincenzo Italiano — a reminder that Klopp’s Liverpool struggled with similar tactics last season when they lost 0-3 to Atalanta in the Europa League. Stylistically, Bologna could pose problems for Liverpool.
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Bologna may not be the same team that finished 5th in Serie A last season and qualified for the Champions League, but Vincenzo Italiano is building a pressing and aggressive side, something he's known for. It’s important to note that this team no longer has Thiago Motta, as well as key players like Calafiori and Zirkzee. Nevertheless, the red and blue are currently unbeaten in their last 6 matches across all competitions. In their most recent Serie A game, they drew 1-1 against the same high-pressing Atalanta. Before that, there was a 0-0 draw against Shakhtar and a 2-1 win over Monza, so Bologna is slowly finding their rhythm, having not suffered a defeat since their 0-3 loss to Napoli. Bologna's pressing and counterattacks at Anfield will definitely pose a threat to Alisson's goal.
I don’t think the favorite will win by a 3-goal margin here. Bologna, with their pressing and unbeaten streak, is being significantly underestimated. Their danger on set pieces and in counter-pressing, combined with the fact that they will be fresher than their opponents (Liverpool played a League Cup match midweek, making this their third game in a week), makes this a tough challenge for the home side. Rotation is likely for Liverpool, and it seems that the hosts will have to work hard for a win against a stylistically uncomfortable opponent, but a blowout seems unlikely.
Prediction for the match: Bologna to win with +2.5 scored goals.
