Liverpool vs Bologna Prediction: 2/10/2024

Liverpool, who won the Champions League in 2019 for the sixth time in their history, made it to another final in 2022 but were once again defeated by Real Madrid, just as they were in 2018, with a goal from Vinicius Jr. Despite significant changes, including the departure of manager Jurgen Klopp and key players like Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino, Fabinho, and Jordan Henderson, Liverpool remains a strong force.

This new era for the Reds has started off on the right foot, with an impressive 3-1 win over AC Milan in their Champions League opener and only one defeat in all competitions so far—a surprising 0-1 loss to Nottingham Forest at home. Since that setback, Mohamed Salah and his teammates bounced back with a 3-0 win against Bournemouth and a dominant 5-1 victory over West Ham in the EFL Cup. Last weekend, they faced Wolverhampton in the Premier League, aiming for their fifth win of the season.

Bologna, under coach Thiago Motta, defied expectations last season by securing a Champions League qualification. On the first day of this season’s competition, however, they struggled to find the back of the net, drawing 0-0 against Shakhtar Donetsk.

As they head to Anfield, Bologna seems to be lacking form, having only one win in their first five Serie A matches, alongside three draws and one defeat to Monza (1-2). They had a tough test last weekend, facing Atalanta at home—a formidable challenge against last season’s Europa League champions and a strong Champions League team.

For this second Champions League match, Liverpool will be without young midfielder Harvey Elliott due to an ankle injury. Goalkeeper Alisson, who was also dealing with an injury, is expected to return according to the team’s coach.

Dutch manager Arne Slot will have most of his squad available, including Luis Díaz, who has scored five goals in five Premier League matches, Mohamed Salah (3 goals and 4 assists in the Premier League), and Darwin Núñez, who has been quieter with just one goal so far. In their match against AC Milan, none of these forwards scored, as center-backs Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil Van Dijk found the net, along with midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.

Bologna, missing key players like Cambiaghi, midfielder Oussama El Azzouzi (who contributed 2 goals and 2 assists last season), and Lewis Ferguson (out since April), will also face challenges in their lineup. However, striker Castro (2 goals and 1 assist), Swiss international Ndoye, and Riccardo Orsolini, who netted 10 goals last season, are set to play.

 

Prediction

Liverpool, with their strong recent home record of 10 wins from 13 matches, are well-positioned to secure another victory in this clash. Bologna’s poor away form, with 11 losses in 13 games, makes them unlikely to cause an upset at Anfield.

Prediction: Liverpool 3 : 0 Bologna