Inter Milan will bid for an eighth consecutive victory when Serie A resumes after a two-week winter break on Thursday. Can they get the better of Bologna on the road? Which way to lean at the top-rated sportsbooks?
Bologna FC vs. FC Inter Milan
Thursday, January 06, 2022 – 06:30 AM EST at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium
Inter has surged to the top of the Serie A table after embarking on a fantastic seven-match winning run. It has the best-attacking record in the league this season, and it now has the second-best defensive record too.
The winter break did not come at a particularly opportune moment for the Nerazzurri, as they were full of momentum at the time. However, they should be able to regain that momentum when they take on mid-table Bologna this week.
They have 14 wins, 4 draws, and just one defeat from 19 games thus far. Their record is better than last season when they won the league title with ease, so they are the heavy favorites to win another Scudetto.
On the road, Inter has 7 wins, 2 draws, and one defeat from 10 games. That is the second-best away record in Serie A.
Inter Thrashed Bologna Earlier This Season
Bologna snapped a run of three straight defeats when it beat Sassuolo 3-0 before the winter break. That was an impressive result, as it was away from home, and Sassuolo is a talented team.
Star playmaker Riccardo Orsolini opened the scoring on 36 minutes, Scottish midfielder Aaron Hickey added a second on the stroke of half-time, and substitute Federico Santander wrapped up the win with a third goal late in injury-time at the end of the game.
That result left Bologna 10th in the table, with 8 wins, 3 draws, and 8 defeats from 19 games thus far.
One of those defeats was a 6-1 hammering against Inter back in October. First-half goals from Lautaro Martínez, Milan Škriniar, and Nicolò Barella put the game beyond Bologna’s reach. Matías Vecino added a fourth after the break, and then Edin Džeko came off the bench to fire in a brace before Arthur Theate grabbed a late consolation for Bologna.
Bologna has lost four times on the road and four times at home this season, so Renato Dall’Ara is by no means a fortress.
Team News
Bologna is set to be without Hickey and fellow midfielder Nicolás Domínguez for this game, as both men have tested positive for COVID-19. That should allow Barella, Vecino, and Marcelo Brozović to win the midfield battle for Inter.
The Nerazzurri will be without Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who is suspended. That could rob it of creativity to a certain extent, but Martínez has plenty of creative spark upfront, and Barella can unlock a defense too.
Džeko has COVID, and Joaquín Correa may be unavailable due to a hamstring injury, but Inter can still call upon Martínez and Alexis Sánchez in attack.
This will certainly not be an easy game for Simone Inzaghi’s men, but they were on fire before the break. They have gone six league games without conceding a goal, and they are scoring for fun, so they should prevail if they can regain the momentum. Take them for your soccer picks.
Soccer Pick: Inter Milan to Win (-190) at BetMGM
Soccer Pick: Inter Milan -1 Asian Handicap (-110) at DraftKings
Soccer Pick: Lautaro Martínez to Score (+105) at Caesars Sportsbook
