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King Saud University Stadium sets the stage for a high-stakes Supercoppa Italiana semi-final tie between Bologna and Inter. The winner of this match-up will face Napoli in the grand final.<\/strong><\/p>\n Antonio Conte\u2019s side beat Milan 2-0 in the first semi-final yesterday, securing a chance to win this title for the first time since 2014. Bologna will be keen to stop them in their tracks and add to their dusty trophy cabinet. However, they must first overcome Inter.<\/span><\/p>\n Vincenzo Italiano\u2019s team squeezed past Milan in last season\u2019s Coppa Italia final to halt a 51-year title drought. In doing so, Bologna locked down their maiden appearance in this showpiece event. Yet, Bologna\u2019s confidence took a hit ahead of their trip to Saudi Arabia as Juventus eked out a 1-0 win at Stadio Renato Dall\u2019Ara.<\/span><\/p>\n In the meantime, Lautaro Martinez and Yann Bisseck inspired Inter to a 2-1 triumph at Genoa on Sunday, bolstering the squad\u2019s spirits ahead of Cristian Chivu\u2019s touchline debut in the Supercoppa. The 45-year-old must be brimming with confidence after leading his side to four successive wins in domestic competitions.<\/span><\/p>\n Still, Inter would be naive to take Bologna lightly, having only won one of their last six meetings in all competitions. With that in mind, Inter\u2019s appearance in the title-deciding fixture is all but guaranteed despite the Nerazzurri\u2019s strong pre-match favoritism.<\/span><\/p>\n Bologna<\/strong><\/p>\n Playing on a neutral venue could be a blessing in disguise for Bologna after Juventus condemned them to back-to-back home defeats for the first time since January 2022. Adding to this sentiment, the reigning Coppa Italia winners have avoided defeat in their last eight matches outside Renato Dall\u2019Ara (W5, D3).<\/span><\/p>\n Italiano\u2019s men will have to lace up their scoring boots if they\u2019re to navigate this tie, especially considering that five of their last six games saw both teams on the scoresheet. Particularly prolific after the halftime interval, 13 of Bologna\u2019s last 17 goals have come in the second half, suggesting a potential for the Rossoblu\u2019s slow start.<\/span><\/p>\n However, after claiming a last-gasp 1-0 victory in their last meeting with Inter in April, Bologna could win consecutive clashes against the Nerazzurri for the first time in the 21st century. Addressing their defensive woes could be crucial, given that they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last six outings across all competitions.<\/span><\/p>\n Inter<\/strong><\/p>\n Sunday\u2019s tight victory at Stadio Luigi Ferraris catapulted Inter back to the top of Serie A, maintaining a feel-good factor around the San Siro camp. Interestingly, that result maintained their trend of not sharing the spoils in competitive matches under Chivu (W16, L6), indicating that this fixture could be settled in regulation time.<\/span><\/p>\n Unlike Bologna, Chivu\u2019s charges have been firing on all cylinders this season, racking up a league-high 34 goals at an average of 2.26 per game. Inter\u2019s newfound ruthlessness in front of goal might face a stern test here, as they\u2019ve netted one goal or fewer in two of their last three encounters against the Emilia-Romagna outfit.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s worth noting that Inter\u2019s free-scoring form has taken a toll on their defensive output. Indeed, the 20-time Italian champions have conceded at least once in four of their last five encounters away from San Siro (W3, L2), with the only shutout coming against Serie A newcomers Pisa at the tail-end of November.<\/span><\/p>\n Veteran midfielder Remo Freuler and first-choice goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski headline Bologna\u2019s substantial list of absentees. In addition to the two first-team stalwarts, Italiano cannot call upon Kevin Bonifazi, Nicolo Casale, and Martin Vitik. Federico Ravaglia will take Skorupski\u2019s place in goal, with Nikola Moro expected to replace Freuler in the engine room.<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, Inter took this Middle East trip without Denzel Dumfries and Francesco Acerbi. With the Dutch wingback injured, Chivu is likely to turn to underperforming Luis Henrique to fill the vacancy on the right wing. Meanwhile, Hakan Calhanoglu could make an unlikely start despite slumping to a minor muscle injury against Liverpool last week.<\/span><\/p>\n Bologna (4-2-3-1):<\/strong> Ravaglia; Holm, Lucumi, Heggem, Miranda; Moro, Ferguson; Orsolini, Odgaard, Cambiaghi; Castro.<\/span><\/p>\n Inter (3-5-2):<\/strong> Josep Martinez; Akanji, Bisseck, Bastoni; Henrique, Barella, Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Lautaro Martinez.<\/span><\/p>\n Four clean sheets across their last six Supercoppa showdowns helped Inter win three of the four most recent tournament editions. As a result, they\u2019re potentially 180 minutes away from equaling Juventus\u2019 record of nine Supercoppa titles.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite their recent struggles against Bologna, we expect the Nerazzurri to reach the final.<\/span><\/p>\nMatch Preview<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Team News<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Bologna vs Inter Potential Starting Lineups<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Bologna vs Inter Prediction<\/strong><\/h2>\n