Napoli host Bologna in the fourth round of the 2026/27 Serie A season on Sunday, September 13. The match is scheduled for 16:00 local time at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Both teams enter this fixture under pressure after difficult starts to the campaign. Napoli are 12th after one win and two defeats, while Bologna sit 15th with one draw and two losses. The hosts have suffered three consecutive defeats across Serie A and the Champions League, whereas the visitors are still searching for their first league victory of the season. Recent defensive vulnerability on both sides, combined with a 3-2 scoreline in their latest head-to-head encounter, suggests that this could develop into an open and competitive contest.

Napoli's Recent Form and Key Stats

Napoli began their Serie A campaign with a 2-0 away victory over Genoa, but their results have deteriorated since that opening success. They were beaten 2-1 at home by Como before losing 3-2 against Inter despite establishing an early two-goal advantage. Their difficult run continued in the Champions League on September 9, when Arsenal recorded a 1-0 victory in Napoli.

Across their last five matches, Napoli have collected two wins and suffered three defeats, scoring an average of 2.2 goals per game and conceding 1.6. Their Serie A record stands at one win, no draws and two losses, with averages of 1.7 goals scored and 1.7 conceded. It represents their worst start after three Serie A matches since the 2015/16 season. The team have not lost three consecutive league games since January 2020, but another home defeat would also mean three straight losses at their own ground across all competitions for the first time since November 2020.

The home side must respond while dealing with several unavailable players. Goalkeeper Alex Meret was forced off with a thigh strain against Arsenal, while Alisson Santos sustained a hamstring problem. Both are expected to remain unavailable until after the international break, with Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in line to replace Meret in goal. Scott McTominay, Giovane, Alessandro Buongiorno and Luca Marianucci were already absent, although Frank Anguissa could return. Rasmus Hojlund is expected to continue in attack.

One encouraging historical statistic concerns Massimiliano Allegri, who has never lost as a coach against Bologna. His record in this matchup consists of 19 victories and seven draws. Even so, Napoli's recent defensive displays have created concern, particularly after conceding five goals across their league defeats to Como and Inter.

Bologna's Recent Form and Key Stats

Bologna arrive having collected their first point of the Serie A season in a 2-2 draw away to Sassuolo on September 6. Before that result, Domenico Tedesco began his spell with consecutive 1-0 defeats against Lazio and Atalanta. Goals from Artem Dovbyk and Roberto Piccoli against Sassuolo were the first for both players with Bologna and ended the team's scoreless start to the league campaign.

The visitors have no wins, one draw and four defeats across their last five matches. During that sequence, they have averaged only 0.6 goals scored and 1.8 conceded per game. Their three Serie A fixtures have produced no victories, one draw and two defeats, with an average of 0.7 goals scored and 1.3 allowed. Bologna are one of six sides yet to win in the league before the fourth round, and the last time they had fewer points at this stage was 11 years ago.

Despite the poor overall form, Bologna's longer-term Serie A away record offers a reason for confidence. Although they lost 1-0 at Atalanta in their only previous league trip this season, they have won six of their last eight away matches in the competition, with the other two ending in defeat. Since February, only Como have registered more away league wins, with seven.

Tedesco will be without Riccardo Orsolini, who is expected to miss much of the month, while Oussama El Azzouzi is also unavailable. Dovbyk and Piccoli remain in contention for an attacking place after scoring against Sassuolo, with Piccoli described as the slight favorite between the two.

Napoli vs Bologna Match Analysis

The available statistics give Napoli a measurable advantage, but they do not point to a straightforward home victory. The win probabilities stand at 51% for Napoli, 24% for the draw and 25% for Bologna. Napoli possess the stronger recent scoring average, yet they have also conceded 1.7 goals per Serie A match and enter the fixture after three consecutive defeats in all competitions.

Bologna's attacking numbers are more modest, but the 2-2 draw against Sassuolo demonstrated that they can create and convert opportunities away from home. That result may be particularly relevant against a Napoli side that has recently allowed opponents too many scoring chances. At the same time, Bologna have conceded an average of 1.8 goals over their last five games, giving the hosts an opportunity to rediscover their attacking efficiency.

• Napoli's last five matches: two wins and three defeats.
• Bologna's last five matches: no wins, one draw and four defeats.
• Both teams to score carries a statistical probability of 54%.
• Over 2.5 goals is rated at 52%, compared with 48% for under 2.5.
• The latest meeting ended 3-2 on May 11, 2026.

The five-match head-to-head summary is evenly balanced, with Napoli recording two wins, one draw and two defeats. Napoli averaged 1.6 goals scored and 1.2 conceded across those meetings. With the hosts needing an immediate reaction and Bologna encouraged by their first point and first two league goals of the season, both teams have reasons to approach the game positively. Napoli's greater attacking output could prove decisive, but Bologna's away record and the hosts' recent defensive problems leave room for the visitors to threaten as well.

Napoli vs Bologna prediction from BetMines: Both Teams To Score (Yes) with 54% probability.