The 2025-26 Serie A season reaches its conclusion on Saturday as Bologna host Inter at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara in the final round of fixtures. Kick-off is set for 18:00 CEST, with live coverage exclusively on DAZN. While the Scudetto may already be decided, both sides have plenty to play for in terms of pride, preparation, and setting the tone for the upcoming World Cup summer.
Inter manager Cristian Chivu, recently named Serie A's Coach of the Season, has opted to rest several key players for this encounter. Hakan Calhanoglu, Denzel Dumfries, Manuel Akanji, and Marcus Thuram have been excused from the trip to Bologna, allowed to begin their vacations early before joining their national team camps for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This decision reshapes the Nerazzurri lineup significantly, providing opportunities for squad rotation and a glimpse into the future.
Despite the absences, Chivu fields a competitive 3-5-2 formation. Josip Martinez is set to start between the posts, shielded by a back three of Yann Aurel Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi, and Alessandro Bastoni. On the flanks, Mateo Henrique and Federico Dimarco will operate as wing-backs, while the midfield trio features Nicolò Barella, Piotr Zielinski, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Leading the line are captain Lautaro Martinez and young striker Francesco Pio Esposito, who gets a rare start in a campaign where he has shown promising flashes.
The inclusion of Esposito is particularly noteworthy. Having spent time on loan in previous seasons, the 21-year-old has fought his way into Chivu’s plans and will be eager to impress alongside the experienced Lautaro. With Thuram absent, Esposito's movement and link-up play will be crucial in breaking down a resilient Bologna defense.
Bologna, under Vincenzo Italiano, line up in a 4-3-3 system that has served them well at home. Lukasz Skorupski starts in goal, with a back four of Nadir Zortea, Stefan Helland, Jhon Lucumi, and Juan Miranda. The midfield three comprises Lewis Ferguson, Remo Freuler, and Tommaso Pobega—an industrious unit designed to disrupt Inter’s rhythm. In attack, Federico Bernardeschi provides width and creativity on the right, Santiago Castro leads the line, and Jonathan Rowe completes the trident from the left.
The Rossoblù have turned the Dall'Ara into a fortress against Inter in recent times, winning three of the last four Serie A meetings here. That’s as many victories as they had managed in the previous 24 home encounters against the Nerazzurri in the top flight. This remarkable record will give Italiano’s men confidence that they can end their season on a high note, potentially exacting revenge for the 3-1 defeat suffered at San Siro back in January.
Speaking of that reverse fixture, Inter ran out comfortable winners on that occasion, and a victory today would see them complete a league double over Bologna for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign. The historical balance between these sides has been evenly poised of late: across the last eight Serie A clashes, each team has won three times, with two draws. Chivu’s side will need to draw on their experience to overcome a tricky away day.
Inter arrive at this fixture with 86 points, a tally that ranks among the club’s highest in the three-points-per-win era. Only the title-winning campaigns of 2023-24 (94 points), 2020-21 (91), and 2006-07 (97) have yielded more. While the final league position may already be secure, a strong finish would cement Chivu’s debut season as a resounding success and send the squad into the summer with positive momentum.
For Bologna, the match represents an opportunity to climb as high as possible in the standings and reward their fans for another solid season under Italiano. With European qualification likely out of reach, the focus will be on building a performance that reflects the progress made this term. Key battles include Ferguson’s driving runs against Barella’s tenacity, and the pace of Rowe and Bernardeschi testing Inter’s full-backs.
The match officials for this fixture are led by referee Gianluca Bonacina, with assistants Laghezza and Zezza. The fourth official is Marcenaro, while the VAR room will be manned by Pezzuto and Baroni. Their decisions could prove pivotal in what promises to be a tight, tactical affair.
As the final whistle blows on the 2025-26 Serie A season, attention will quickly turn to the World Cup and the summer transfer market. For players like Esposito and Bisseck, this game is a chance to stake a claim for a more prominent role next term. For established stars like Lautaro and Bastoni, it’s about maintaining sharpness before the global showpiece.
In a league often decided by fine margins, this Bologna-Inter clash may lack title implications, but it offers a fascinating subplot of motivation, rotation, and the eternal dance between the present and the future. Kick-off is at 18:00 CET on DAZN, with live text commentary also available on Tuttosport.
Based on reporting from Tuttosport.
