Milan, Italy – Aug 22: Pio Esposito of Inter celebrates during the Serie A match with Monza at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. (Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Inter must shake off a heavy Champions League defeat and Lautaro Martinez’s thigh injury on a tricky trip to Bologna, with Francesco Pio Esposito and Marcus Thuram leading the attack against Matteo Darmian.
Kick‑off is set for 17:00 UK time (18:00 CEST) at Stadio Dall’Ara.
You can follow all the build‑up and action as it happens from this game, Venezia‑Napoli and Roma‑Genoa on the Liveblog.
The Nerazzurri sit top of Serie A alongside Lazio, but for my money their league lead feels fragile after two early Champions League setbacks.
A trip to Real Madrid isn’t shocking, yet the 4‑3 home loss to Club Brugge was a genuine shock that dented confidence.
Worse still, Lautaro Martinez suffered a thigh injury sidelining him for a month, and Benjamin Pavard joins Curtis Jones and John Stones on the treatment table.
Esposito and Thuram therefore spearhead the attack, with Ange‑Yoan Bonny the sole bench alternative.
Luis Henrique and Federico Dimarco patrol the flanks, while Petar Sucic steps in for Hakan Calhanoglu.
Bologna also face turmoil, having dismissed Domenico Tedesco and hired Raffaele Palladino, who steadied the ship with a 1‑1 draw at Torino and a 2‑1 win at Lecce.
Riccardo Orsolini’s thigh strain adds to long‑term absentee Emil Holm, though Jens Odgaard returns to the bench.
Federico Bernardeschi and Nicolò Cambiaghi support Roberto Piccoli up front, while Matteo Darmian meets his former teammates after joining Bologna on a free transfer.
Historically, this fixture has cost Inter valuable points in the past.
Bologna: Skorupski; Darmian, Casale, Theate; Zortea, Pobega, Ferguson, Miranda; Bernardeschi, Cambiaghi; Piccoli
Inter: J Martinez; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Barella, Zielinski, Sucic, Dimarco; Thuram, Pio Esposito
1
3
33
20
16
19
4
10
28
91
1
95
32
25
8
31
23
7
94
11
9
29
41
21
17
11
14
23
25
72
8
18
22
5
6
9
49
5
12
48
46
14
30
17
22
20