How Bologna’s Last-Minute Triumph Over Inter Could Mark a Pivotal Moment in Serie A

Riccardo Orsolini’s stunning strike in the 94th minute for Bologna during their clash with reigning Serie A champions Internazionale on Sunday rejuvenated the title race this season.

While Napoli have remained closely behind Inter for much of the campaign, they found themselves further away from the Nerazzurri until that dramatic late equaliser.

The significance of Orsolini’s goal cannot be overstated; it not only levelled the points tally with Inter, now tied at 71, but it also bolstered Bologna’s bid for a coveted Champions League spot.

When Thiago Motta departed from I Rossoblu in June 2024, few could have anticipated that Bologna would still be ahead of Juventus, the club to which Motta transferred, with just five games left in the 2024/25 season.

Although Bologna currently only have a slender point lead, coach Vincenzo Italiano’s squad have managed to keep pace with their competitors at the top, and there’s a genuine possibility they could qualify for European football at Juventus’ expense.

Crucial encounter against Juventus may shape Champions League positions

The upcoming match between the two teams at Bologna’s Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on May 4th could play a pivotal role in deciding which club secures a Champions League place and which must settle for a Europa League spot.

Furthermore, their recent victory over Inter warranted attention, as Bologna’s performance certainly justified their win.

Inter had not recorded such a meagre return of one shot on target in a Serie A game since facing Naples on March 1st, and Bologna excelled in numerous critical areas during the match.

With 12 attempts at goal in the match, Bologna outperformed Inter by four, and their three shots on target eclipsed the visitors’ efforts. Additionally, Bologna tested Inter’s goalkeeper with nine shots inside the box, two more than their opponents, and created three critical chances compared to none from Inter, indicating who had the greater desire to secure the win.

Bologna’s attacking intent was evident in their 24 touches within the opposing box, which was nine more than Inter managed. Moreover, their pass completion rate of 80.6% slightly surpassed Inter’s 79%.

Despite Inter holding 52.1% possession and completing marginally more passes (381 to Bologna’s 340), they fell short in terms of passes in the attacking half (173 to Bologna’s 185) and displayed poor passing accuracy in Bologna’s half at a mere 64.7%, significantly inferior to the hosts’ 73%.

Bologna pushing forward more effectively than Inter

It’s noteworthy that Inter’s Carlos Augusto was active in the box with six touches, outnumbering his teammates significantly. In contrast, Bologna had nine players involved in the Inter penalty area, with four players recording three or more touches.

This suggests a more robust offensive strategy from Bologna. The statistics reveal that Bologna completed 41.7% of their dribbles during the match, which, while not excellent, is notably better than Inter’s disappointing success rate of 14.3% from their seven attempts.

With that solitary goal from Orsolini, Bologna achieved a remarkable feat, scoring in 13 consecutive home games during a single Serie A season for the first time in over 80 years (the last was also 13 in the 1942/43 season). This result also marked Inter’s third defeat to Bologna on Easter Sunday, the most they have suffered against any single opponent on this holiday.

Inter’s defeat on Easter Sunday was their first loss on this day since April 18th, 1976, when they were downed 2-0 by Ascoli. It was also Bologna’s first victory against Inter on Easter Sunday since April 17th, 1960.

Currently, Inter seem to be faltering. After a stellar run of eight consecutive away victories, including seven clean sheets, they’ve managed to secure only one win in their last six away outings (D3 L2), with just one clean sheet to show for it.

Napoli poised to capitalise as Inter’s struggles persist

Napoli will undoubtedly be pleased, not only because of Inter’s upcoming challenging fixtures — with Roma and Lazio posing potential threats — but also due to the Coppa Italia semi-final against Milan and a two-legged Champions League semi-final against Barcelona looming in the following weeks.

In contrast, Antonio Conte’s side faces no such distractions, focused solely on their five remaining league games.

Bologna are clearly hitting their stride at the perfect time, gaining significant momentum as the season heads towards its conclusion.

Italiano’s squad have been in outstanding form at home, winning seven of their last eight Serie A matches (with one draw) after previously winning just three of their last 12 fixtures (8 draws, 1 loss).