On Sunday, September 14, in the iconic setting of San Siro, AC Milan hosts Bologna in one of the most anticipated clashes of Serie A Matchday 3. Both teams have shown a similar trend so far, having lost their opening fixture before bouncing back with a win in the second round. This means that, after the first two games, they are level on three points in the standings. The Rossoneri must now capitalize on home advantage to secure back-to-back wins and avoid losing ground on their rivals in the race for the top  positions. Furthermore, Milan will be eager to avenge their defeat at the hands of Bologna in last May’s Coppa Italia final. Vincenzo Italiano’s side comes into this match after an impressive win against Como, but facing Milan will be a real test of whether Bologna can confirm themselves once again as one of Serie A’s surprise packages for the third consecutive season. The Coppa Italia final precedent clearly favors Bologna, but much has changed in recent months, especially for AC Milan, who underwent a complete overhaul during the summer transfer window. This Sunday night clash is therefore a meeting between two sides with different motivations: the Rossoneri aiming to bounce back after a season to forget, and the Rossoblù eager to cement their status among the league’s most competitive teams.

AC Milan's Recent Form and Key Stats

A rollercoaster start for Massimiliano Allegri’s new-look Milan: after losing their opener at home against newly promoted Cremonese, the Rossoneri bounced back with a convincing 2-0 win away to Lecce. This result lifted the Diavolo to 8th place with 3 points.

In the first two Serie A games, Maignan and his teammates struggled defensively against Cremonese, conceding two goals from open play, but looked more solid at the back against Lecce. It remains to be seen how they will hold up against a dangerous Bologna side.

In attack, Milan is still missing Leao, who is likely to remain sidelined due to injury for this clash as well. The alternatives haven’t really stepped up so far, considering that the team’s three goals have come from a defender (Pavlovic) and two midfielders (Loftus-Cheek and Pulisic).

Bologna's Recent Form and Key Stats

Bologna’s opening Serie A fixtures were not the easiest, as they faced two in-form teams, Roma and Como. The Rossoblù collected a defeat and a win, both with the same 1-0 scoreline. That leaves them, like Milan, with 3 points in the table.

With just one goal scored and one conceded, Bologna hasn’t exactly shone in attack, also due to Ciro Immobile’s preseason injury. Against Como, the decisive goal came from a long-range strike by Orsolini, increasingly the symbolic player for the Rossoblù.

Defensively, Bologna struggled in their debut against Roma but put on a solid display against Como, limiting chances for Nico Paz and his teammates. Much will depend on the fitness of Lucumì, fresh from international duty with Colombia.

AC Milan vs Bologna Prediction and Tactical Overview

The Serie A Matchday 3 game between AC Milan and Bologna looks set to be a tight, tactical battle. Neither team can afford mistakes and both will try to avoid leaving space for counterattacks.

The BetMines prediction leans towards a low-scoring match, with fewer than three goals expected, suggesting the game could be decided by an individual play or a set-piece situation.

This scenario is reminiscent of last May’s Coppa Italia final, when Bologna clinched a 1-0 victory thanks to a solo effort by Ndoye, now at Nottingham Forest.

BetMines’ algorithm favors the Under 2.5 goals outcome, also considering Milan’s attacking absences, with Leao likely out and new signing Nkunku not fully fit. On the other side, Bologna must cope without Ciro Immobile, who has scored 201 goals in Serie A.

• AC Milan vs Bologna Prediction by BetMines: Under 2.5 goals with 54% probability
  
  
• AC Milan vs Bologna Prediction by BetMines: Over 2.5 goals with 46% probability

Probable Lineups AC Milan vs Bologna

AC MILAN (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Loftus, Modric, Rabiot; Bartesaghi; Gimenez, Pulisic. Coach: Massimiliano Allegri

BOLOGNA (4-2-3-1): Skorupski; Zortea, Vitik, Lucumì, Miranda; Ferguson, Freuler; Orsolini, Odgaard, Cambiaghi; Castro. Coach: Vincenzo Italiano