AC MILAN v BOLOGNA: OPPONENT REVIEW

AC Milan return to the San Siro for the third match of Serie A. On Saturday evening, the reigning Italian champions host former boss Siniša Mihajlović's Bologna. Although the record flatters the Rossoneri, the Emiliani have proven to be a tough opponent for the boys. In fact, the Rossoblù side are unbeaten in three Serie A matches against the competition's three most successful teams: two draws against Juventus and AC Milan, and a win against Inter, all last April. Extending this streak – to reach the most recent one achieved by Roma (the last to go five matches without losing to these three teams between 2020 and 2021) – will be the main aim for Bologna, who had reached four in 2012, with Stefano Pioli in the dugout.

In the first two games of this season, the Emiliani lost to Lazio and drew with Verona, but their away record sees only two defeats in the last six (1W, 3D). The scoreline away from the Dall'Ara in the most recent away matches is also positive: Mihajlović's team have only blanked in four of the last fifteen Serie A away matches and in none of the three most recent ones. Hurting AC Milan  looks like a challenge at the moment – the Rossoneri's 18 consecutive unbeaten matches (12W, 6D) is the longest current streak in Europe's five major leagues - but Siniša and his team certainly don't lack courage.

WATCH OUT FOR CORNERS: THE ROSSOBLÙ A THREAT FROM THE CORNER SPOT
In Serie A 21/22, Bologna scored 10 goals from corners: only Inter (12) and Roma (11) did better than the Emiliani. In fact, the Rossoblù's formation was the one with the highest percentage of goals scored from corners (23% - 10/44) last season. The Rossoneri are well aware of this, and in the first leg, on 23 October 2021, Ibrahimović's corner set up the momentary 2-1 lead, which Pioli's men went on to win 4-2 at the Stadio Dall'Ara.

Milan, who have cashed in seven of the 31 goals conceded from corners in the 21/22 competition (a negative record in percentage terms), are called upon to keep an eye on from these set pieces, and their defenders will have to pay particular attention to physical presences such as Arnautović and De Silvestri (who already scored against the Rossoneri in a Torino shirt, in April 2018, also  from a corner), but also to distance shots, such as Musa Barrow. Two goals from outside the box last season, one of which - against Empoli - from the developments of a corner kick.

ARNAUTOVIĆ THE TALISMAN, BARROW WANTS REDEMPTION
16 goals with Bologna in Serie A, established leadership and a spirit of sacrifice. Marko Arnautović has undoubtedly become the undisputed leader of the Emiliani outfit. The Austrian striker started the 22/23 season the same as the previous one: by scoring. It is no coincidence that the 33-year-old has become, thanks to goals against Lazio and Verona, the first player to go on target in both of Bologna's first two matches in a Serie A season since Roberto Baggio, who managed it in 1997/98. Furthermore, only two Rossoblù players have made it to three in the club's history: Ezio Pascutti (in 1962/63) and Giuseppe Savoldi (in 1979/80). All the more reason to expect from the former Inter man a more than fierce attitude in the Rossoneri penalty area in Saturday's challenge.

Further confirmation of the weight he has in Mihajlović's line-up is demonstrated by another piece of data: Arnautović has scored 53% of Bologna's goals in Serie A since the start of 2022 (10 of the 19 total), a record percentage among players in both leagues. If the Austrian striker holds the status of number one danger to Milan's defence, Musa Barrow cannot fail to support him. The Gambian 23-year-old, despite having only played the last quarter of an hour with Lazio in this start, was the second highest scorer in the 21/22 season (six goals like Orsolini) and first in assists (six assists, two of the last three to Arnautović). Who knows, maybe Siniša will decide to give him a chance, considering that he scored against AC Milan last October.

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