Champions League: Liverpool v Bologna preview, predictions & tips

Ladbrokes shares its preview, betting tips and predictions for Liverpool v Bologna on Wednesday evening in the Champions League.

After beating AC Milan 3-1 at the San Siro two weeks ago, Liverpool play another Italian side in the Champions League in gameweek two, this time in the form of Bologna.

The game is Arne Slot's first European home game at Anfield, and the Dutchman will be hoping to pick up three points once again after four back-to-back wins in all competitions.

So, without further ado, join Ladbrokes as our team of experts share their preview, betting tips and predictions for the big Liverpool v Bologna game in the Champions League.

Slot's first European home game as Liverpool manager comes after a 2-1 away win at Wolves on Saturday evening, with Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate finding the back of the net.

The Reds will be eager to add to the three points they picked up against AC Milan two weeks ago by beating another Serie A side, this time Bologna, who are 13th in Italy's top-flight.

Bologna have only won one of their six domestic league games this season, and drew 0-0 with Shakhtar Donetsk in their Champions League opener, but there's a few reasons for their poor form.

The Italian side lost star manager Thiago Motta to Juventus, lost Riccardo Calafiori and Joshua Zirkzee to Arsenal and Erik ten Hag's Manchester United respectively, and are also without Lewis Ferguson through injury.

The issue for Bologna is, they didn't manage to replace the key men they lost in the summer, and that's left them with a weakened squad heading into the 24/25 Serie A and Champions League campaigns.

Many also felt after they lost Jurgen Klopp that Liverpool could struggle this season, but heading into the game with Bologna they sit top of the Premier League, having conceded only three goals since Arne Slot's first match against Ipswich on August 17.

The bookies have Liverpool as the clear favourites to win the game on October 2, with the latest odds suggesting that the Reds ending matchday two with six points to their name is the most likely outcome.

Darwin Nunez missed the game against Wolves through illness, but he's back in training and is actually expected to start against Bologna at Anfield this week. Andy Robertson is also in training, despite being taken off at the end of the Wolves game with an injury scare.

The Uruguayan is set for only his third start of the season because Diogo Jota is a doubt with a minor foot injury. Even if he is fit enough to be included in the squad, it makes sense for Slot to go with Nunez for this one.

Harvey Elliot is also out, and there's a doubt over the fitness of Federico Chiesa, two weeks after he made his Liverpool debut against AC Milan, after he wasn't seen in the opening training session on October 1.

Bologna will be sweating over the fitness of Santiago Castro, with the striker being taken off with an injury against Atalanta at the weekend.

Ferguson is missing with an ACL injury, as noted previously, and it's more headache in the midfield with Tommaso Pobega and Oussama El Azzouzi also out with knee injuries.

Possible starting line-ups -

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Nunez

Bologna: Skorupski; Posch, Beukema, Lucumi, Lykogiannis; Aebischer, Moro, Freuler; Orsolini, Dallinga, Ndoye

Liverpool are widely expected to win this game, as we said in our matchday two accumulator, and we're expecting them to do so after finding the back of the net at least twice at Anfield in their first UCL home game of the season.

The Reds scored five against West Ham and two against Wolves last week, so it's not like they're shy in front of goal, and we don't expect that to change against a Bologna side who have conceded nine goals in six league games so far this season.

Against AC Milan, Slot opted to rotate one of the front three by swapping Luis Diaz for Cody Gakpo, so this time around we're expecting the change to be Darwin for the doubtful Jota.

As such, Diaz should start as he did against Wolves, and we're expecting the Colombian to mark the occasion with a goal against Atalanta, having scored two the last time Liverpool played at home against Bournemouth in September.

Slot has hardly rotated in the league since becoming Liverpool boss, and one player who is feeling the effects of that is Kostas Tsimikas, who has looked shaky in the games he's played in the Champions League and Carabao Cup.

As such, we're predicting that the Greek international picks up a yellow card against Bologna, given that he's expected to start with Robertson a fitness doubt.

View the latest football odds.

All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.