Bologna vs Empoli prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2022-09-16 13:00.
Under the supervision of the new boss Thiago Motta who was watching from the stands, Bologna celebrated their first Serie A (SA) win of the season (D3, L2) as they came from behind to beat Fiorentina 2-1 last time out. Now Motta will be tasked with replicating last weekend’s success in his first game in the Bologna dugout as his side welcome Empoli in their final fixture before the international break.
Still unbeaten in competitive contests at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara in 2022/23 (W2, D2), Bologna will now go in search of their maiden SA clean sheet this term – something they achieved in their seasonal Coppa Italia opener here and in two of the last three home H2Hs (W1, D2). However it is worth noting that Motta is yet to celebrate a first managerial victory over Empoli (D2).
Empoli suffered their second league defeat of the season as they fell to Roma on Monday night which ended their run of four consecutive draws. Paolo Zanetti's men will subsequently travel here in search of their first win of this season, and given Empoli have won three of the last five H2Hs (D1, L1), perhaps they have a decent shot.
A lonely away victory across their last 14 SA trips (D7, L6) says different though, and that dismal record comes despite the fact the visitors have opened the scoring in both previous away outings (D2). Maybe Empoli can take some inspiration from their coach Paolo Zanetti then, who celebrated a victory here last November when managing Venezia (1-0).
Players to watch: In-form Marko Arnautović became the second foreign player to score at least six goals in his six opening SA matches of the season for Bologna since Harald Nielsen back in 1962/63. Martín Satriano netted the opener in Empoli’s last away outing, and four of his five career league goals arrived before the break.
Hot stat: Motta has won both of his previous competitive managerial debuts in Italy by a 3-1 scoreline.