What was a much needed international break has evolved to a Covid complicated return to league proceedings with a difficult match trip to Bologna. Match today 20:45 CET.

No Sinisa Mihajlovic side is ever an easy out, particularly a Bologna side that’s coming off a streak of two consecutive wins and three wins in their last five matches.

Sinisa Mihajlovic has been able to forge a genuine Europa League spot chasing side purely based on working on player mentality and developing an effective attacking style of play.

Bologna have two choices on how to line-up for the game, either choice carrying its own set risks; to sit deep and attack on the break or to try and take the match to their visitrs.

Restarting or resuming a winning streak is never an easy tast, but it isn’t impossible either. Antonio Conte will, almost certainly, approach this match with a degree of caution and preparedness.

Despite losing Stefan De Vrij to a late recovery from Covid, Conte will still have an almost perfect starting eleven to chose from.

If Bologna decide to take the match to Inter, then expect Inter’s loss of Di Vrij to potentially hurt the visitors creating a complicated match scenario, but if Bologna do sit deep and defend, then expect Inter’s quality to eventually prevail.

Team News

Despite testing negative for Covid, expect Stefan DiVrij to remain unavailable for selection into the starting eleven. Arturo Vidal remains in rehabilitation since his knee operation and Danilo D’Ambrosio hasn’t yet recovered from his Covid bout, thankfully, no internationals picked up any fitness issues while on duty.

Ivan Perisic has reportedly suffered from fatigue and will probably start the match on the bench.

Probable Line-up (3-5-2): Handanovic (C); Skriniar, Ranocchia, Bastoni; Hakimi, Gagliardini, Brozovic, Barella, Ashley Young; Lautaro, Lukaku

Stats

Last Season: Bologna 1 – 2 Inter.

Last 10 Head to Head: Inter have a clear lead over their hosts in the head to head record, with six wins for the Nerazzurri to just a pair of victories for the Rossoblu.

Interestingly, Inter have not lost at the Dell’Ara since February of 2002.

Keep an Eye on:

Marcelo Brozovic: The Croatian midfielder has been very workmalike of late, but Brozo has a habit of popping up with something special when you least expect it. After a pretty impressive international break for the Croatian, keep an eye on him to play an important role in this pivotal match.

Officials

Referee: Piero Giacomelli.
Assistant referees: Fiorito and Galetto.
Fourth Official: Marinelli.
VAR: Di Paolo and Passeri.

Prediction & Concluding Remarks

Prediction & scorers: Bologna 1 – 2 Inter with an unlikely scorer in Brozovic to grab a late winner.

Concluding remarks: Rediscovering momentum is no easy task, particularly when travelling away from home to Mihajlovic’s tough Bologna. Expect Inter’s desire and grit to prevail and secure a tough but important win.