Liverpool vs Bologna Preview: Anfield braces up for another dream European night
Liverpool resume their quest to win the Champions League trophy for the first time since 2018/19 on Wednesday with a home clash against Bologna.
With excitement building, this highly anticipated showdown will be a must-watch event for those following football on TV in UK this Wednesday.
Arne Slot’s near-faultless start on Merseyside continued last weekend as goals from Ibrahima Konate and Mohamed Salah inspired the Reds to a 2-1 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Despite moving to the top of the Premier League table after the opening six rounds (W5, L1), the Dutch manager refuses to get carried away by his team’s superb form in the early proceedings.
During the post-game interview, Slot admitted his men ‘were not so much better than’ Wolves, urging his team to keep their feet firmly on the ground, as per the Liverpool Echo.
Contrasting spirits
Liverpool got their Champions League campaign off to a flying start, overcoming an early deficit in a romping 3-1 victory against Serie A title hopefuls AC Milan.
Bologna will land at Anfield, hoping to avenge their compatriot’s slump, but they’ll have to do it against the odds amidst a stuttering start under new coach Vincenzo Italiano.
The former Fiorentina manager has overseen just one win in his first seven matches in charge of the Renato Dall’Ara outfit (D5, L1), including a scoreless draw against Shakhtar Donetsk on matchday one.
While Liverpool racked up their seventh victory in eight outings this season last weekend, Bologna wasted a glorious chance to beat Atalanta, conceding a late equaliser in a 1-1 home draw.
Reds must not take this game lightly
Though wins have been hard to come by, Bologna are a competitive team, capable of causing problems to more esteemed rivals, such as Liverpool.
On top of that, the Reds have often struggled against Italian opposition, as evidenced by their barely positive all-time record against Serie A clubs (W18, D8, L16).
It’s needless to remind Slot that his predecessor, Jurgen Klopp, lost 3-0 to Atalanta on this ground last season in the Europa League quarter-finals.