Bologna VS Milan

On Saturday, two teams grappling with their performances in the Champions League will set aside their continental woes as Bologna hosts AC Milan at Stadio Dall'Ara.

While AC Milan managed to secure their first victory of the campaign in midweek, their Bologna counterparts are still seeking their first points in Europe’s elite tournament and have struggled similarly in Serie A.

Match Preview

Christian Pulisic of AC Milan celebrates after scoring the opening goal on September 17, 2024.
© Imago

AC Milan, having suffered defeats in their opening two Champions League matches, finally found their footing on Tuesday night with a win over Club Brugge, who played with 10 men.

The seven-time European champions took the lead when Pulisic scored directly from a corner kick. After a player from Brugge was sent off, the visitors unexpectedly equalized; however, substitutes Noah Okafor and Samu Chukwueze helped Milan regain their advantage by assisting Tijjani Reijnders for two crucial goals.

Reijnders’ performance was particularly noteworthy, as he redeemed himself after being sent off in Milan's previous league match against Udinese. Despite playing more than an hour with just 10 players, Milan managed to hold onto their lead, which was initiated by a goal from Chukwueze.

Since the start of last season, AC Milan has accumulated the highest number of red cards among the top five European leagues, totaling 11, with three already this season. This disciplinary issue has become a pressing concern for head coach Paulo Fonseca.

Despite Milan's struggle to secure consistent results on the road, with only one win from their first four Serie A away matches, they find themselves just five points behind the league leaders. Fortunately for Milan, they will be facing an opponent they traditionally perform well against.

The Rossoneri are currently on a remarkable unbeaten streak of 17 league matches against Bologna, with 13 victories since their last defeat to them in January 2016. This streak represents their longest ongoing unbeaten run against any team in the top flight.

Bologna winger Samuel Iling-Junior in September 2024.
© Imago

Compounding Bologna’s woes, they have not triumphed in their last 18 encounters with Milan at Dall'Ara, with their last victory over the Rossoneri at this venue dating back to 2002.

The Emilian side will be eager to change this narrative as they come off a disappointing 2-2 draw against Genoa, where they squandered a two-goal lead in the final 20 minutes. Bologna’s record shows that they have drawn six out of their first eight Serie A matches.

Should they draw again this weekend, they would set a new club record, as they aim to climb from a lowly 12th position in the standings. Last season’s impressive top-five finish already feels like a distant memory.

Despite only suffering two defeats since late August—both against Premier League teams—Bologna has struggled to convert draws into victories. Their inability to capitalize on opportunities has been a recurring theme, leaving them still searching for their first Champions League goal and point. Their recent 2-0 loss to Aston Villa marked a historic low, making them the first club since 2013 to fail to score in any of their first three Champions League fixtures.

With so much at stake, Bologna’s upcoming match at San Siro becomes crucial, especially with two more fixtures against Serie A strugglers Cagliari and Lecce looming on the horizon.