Liverpool vs Bologna

Anfield sets the stage for Liverpool’s first UEFA Champions League home match under Arne Slot as they meet Bologna on Merseyside.

Liverpool enjoyed a dream start to their Champions League campaign, overturning an early deficit in a 3-1 win against AC Milan at Stadio San Siro. However, the Reds have struggled against Italian visitors at Anfield, suffering three defeats in their last five home clashes against Serie A clubs (W2), including a 3-0 thumping to Atalanta in the 2023/24 Europa League quarter-finals. The Reds are seemingly in pole position to turn things around amid a near-perfect eight-game start under new manager Arne Slot (W7, L1). The early Premier League pacesetters head into proceedings having won their last four competitive outings by an aggregate score of 13-3. Notably, six of their seven victories under Slot have yielded multi-goal margins, suggesting an emphatic scoreline could accompany another potential triumph.

Given the circumstances, visiting Bologna probably wouldn’t mind living up to their ‘stalemate specialists’ tag at Anfield despite drawing 0-0 at home against Shakhtar Donetsk in their first Champions League fixture in over 60 years. The Italians have shared the spoils in five of their seven competitive games under new boss Vincenzo Italiano (W1, L1), including a frustrating 1-1 home draw against Atalanta last weekend. Bologna’s inability to turn tied contests into victories has been their undoing in the early season, but they can draw inspiration from their positive historical record against English opposition (W3, D1, L2). Those six matches produced a total of 17 goals at an average of 2.5 per game, highlighting the potential for a goal-glutted affair. Adding to this sentiment, five of Bologna’s seven outings this season have seen both teams on the scoresheet.