Opposition focus
Napoli's next obstacle is one of the league's most in-form sides: Bologna are currently fourth in the table and go into Monday's match after dispatching Empoli 3-0 in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg.
Vincenzo Italiano's men have scored the most goals (25) in Serie A in 2025 and have the second-most points (28 from 13 matches) since the turn of the year, after Roma (32).
The Rossoblu have strung together five back-to-back wins in Serie A – a streak they have bettered on just three occasions (six between February and March 2024 with Thiago Motta, six between April and May 1967 with Luis Carniglia, and ten between November 1963 and February 1964 with Fulvio Bernardini).
Much of their success has been down to their home form, where they have won their last six games. The last time they put together a longer winning run on home soil in the Italian top flight was between March and August 2019, when Sinisa Mihajlovic guided them to eight in a row.
Napoli for their part have enjoyed good recent results at the Stadio Dall'Ara, losing just once in their last eight visits (W4, D3)
Aggressive approach
Vincenzo Italiano demands intensity and dynamism at both ends of the pitch and the Rossoblu embody their coach's philosophy perfectly.
Bologna and Napoli are the two teams who have conceded opponents the fewest total shots (262 Bologna, 296 Napoli) and fewest shots on target (83 Bologna, 85 Napoli) in this Serie A season. However, the Rossoblu have let in ten more goals than the Azzurri (34 versus 24).
Bologna's secret is their aggressive pressing on the ball carrier to break up the opposition's play. The result is 374 interruptions of opposition moves high up the pitch, an average of 12.5 per match – the most of any team in Serie A 2024/25.
The Emilians are the team that, in percentage terms, force opponents to take the most touches in situations of high-intensity pressing – that is, when the ball carrier is closed down at a distance of less than one metre from the ball. This strategy has helped them make 218 ball recoveries high up the pitch – the most in Serie A this term, level with Atalanta. However, those high recoveries have led to only three goals, while Napoli have scored six times (the most in Serie A) from such situations.
Bologna also like to share the goals around: they have had the second-most different goalscorers (15) this term after Lazio (17).
Danger on the wings
Much of Bologna's threat comes from out wide, where Riccardo Orsolini, Dan Ndoye and Juan Miranda have been tearing up opponents of late.
Orsolini has further really upped his game this season and already has 11 league goals to his name, equalling his personal record in a single Serie A campaign (from 2022/23.
He has notched five in his last five outings in all competitions and a goal against Napoli would see the Rossoblu No.7 score in a fourth consecutive match for Bologna for the second time in his career (the first was between December 2021 and January 2022).
However, he will have to do that against one of his toughest opponents: Napoli are the team that Orsolini has played against most often in Serie A (11 times) without scoring or providing an assist.
Dan Ndoye meanwhile has had a hand in seven goals (four goals, three assists) in his last seven appearances in all competitions. No player has managed more since the start of February (Mateo Retegui also has seven). What's more, six of those seven goals have come at the Dall'Ara.
The Swiss winger is proving to be one of the trickiest customers in Serie A: he has been fouled 78 times this season (fewer only than Mattia Zaccagni's 81), with those fouls leading to 15 yellow cards for opponents (fewer only than Paulo Dybala's 16).
Juan Miranda is another player whose form has picked up recently and the former Real Betis man now has six assists this season – only Nuno Tavares (eight) has provided more (Dimarco, Bellanova and Lazaro also have six).
Article by Opta
