In a week were Italian football fans were focused on the performances of Napoli, Roma and Fiorentina in European competition, we now can return home to Serie A, for round 25 were AC Milan legend Roberto Donadoni will try pull his Bologna side out of a slump against Inter Milan.

 

The Rossoblu are going through a horrific patch of form having lost three in a row including a 7-1 home humiliation at the hands of free scoring Napoli. Bologna and their fans were left fuming last time out against Sampdoria as they were cruising at 1-0 up before a non-existent penalty was awarded to the home side allowing them back in the game for an eventual 3-1 victory. It doesn’t get any easier for Donadoni as they come up against a revitalised Inter side without main striker Mattia Destro. 

 

The Nerazzurri, who are looking good and got themselves back on track with a 2-0 win over Empoli last week, will also have key man Ivan Perisic back from suspension to assist the side this weekend. The Croatian winger is likely to come straight back into the starting XI alongside Eder, who produced a man of the match performance against Empoli in place of banned captain Mauro Icardi. The skipper will also have to sit out Sunday lunchtimes game at the Dall’Ara.  

 

Questions remain over which formation Stefano Pioli will use, as he has switched in recent weeks from the 4-2-3-1 to a 3-4-1-2. However with the return of Perisic, it’s likely he will revert back to a four man defence. Chilean Gary Medel looks set to return to a midfield role following the suspension of Geoffrey Kondogbia. The Frenchman joins injured duo Marcelo Brozovic and Ever Banega on the sidelines.  

Next to Medel in the middle will be Roberto Gagliardini, a player in super form and one of the first names on the team sheet at the moment. The 22 year old Italian will be looking to get on the scoresheet for the first time in an Inter shirt after coming so close in recent weeks. 


 

Leading the line for Inter in place of Mauro Icardi is likely to be Eder and just behind him with the returning Perisic, will, in all probability be inform duo Antonio Candreva and Joao Mario. The Italian and Portuguese have been mesmerising together recently and their creation and technical ability is sure to cause problems to the Bologna back-line.  If Bologna are to have any chance, they're  going to have to keep these two quiet, a very hard task for even the best Serie A defenders. 

 

Final Word: Bologna will be seething after the Sampdoria defeat and will be looking to make things right, however knowing that this is a must win clash for any hope of UCL qualification, Inter will get the job done in a close and exciting match. 

Watch out for Joao Mario and his attacking friends. 

 

Probable starting line-ups:
 

Bologna: Da Costa; Torosidis, Helander, Oikonomou, Masina; Donsah, Pulgar, Dzemaili; Di Francesco (Sadiq), Verdi, Krejci
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Inter: Handanovic; Santon, Murillo, Miranda, Ansaldi; Gagliardini, Medel; Candreva, Joao Mario, Perisic; Eder
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