Match preview

Days after throwing away a two-goal lead to lose the Supercoppa Italiana final to their city rivals, Inter immediately resumed normal service on Sunday.

Having been forced to watch while AC Milan lifted the trophy they had won for each of the past three seasons, Simone Inzaghi's side returned to action with a 1-0 win over Serie A strugglers Venezia at Stadio Penzo.

In the process, Inter extended their growing collection of clean sheets, and the last league goal they conceded away from home came against Udinese back in September.

Home or away, they have now won four consecutive top-flight games without leaking a single goal - the club's best such run since 2021 - and have not suffered defeat in 13 Serie A matches.

All of which leaves them four points behind leaders Napoli, but with two games in hand due to their involvement in the Supercoppa and an abandoned game against Fiorentina.

In addition to keeping things tight at the back - aside from shipping three against Milan and four versus Juventus - Inzaghi's men are the division's top scorers, averaging over 2.5 goals per game.

Coming into Wednesday's clash, they have found the net at least once in their last 31 league fixtures at San Siro, so Bologna will surely beware.

In three encounters last season, Inter picked up four points in Serie A, while Bologna pulled off a dramatic extra-time win in the Coppa Italia.

The Rossoblu now return to San Siro for the first time since that cup success, aiming to continue a remarkable trend: they have scored in each of the clubs' last 13 league meetings in Milan.

Belatedly playing their first fixture of 2025 last weekend, Bologna came within seconds of starting the year with a home win, but they ultimately had to settle for a draw against Roma.

After they fell behind early in the second half at Stadio Dall'Ara, Thijs Dallinga's second goal of the season was quickly followed by Lewis Ferguson scoring from the spot; but when Jhon Lucumi conceded a last-gasp penalty for a VAR-awarded handball, their visitors snatched a point.

Due to such costly errors, Vincenzo Italiano's side have now conceded five goals from the 90th minute onwards in Serie A this season - only fewer than Como. Furthermore, they have dropped 15 points from winning positions so far, and only second-bottom Venezia have spilled more.

Nevertheless, the Emilian club still sit seventh in the table and have lost just twice on their travels around Italy this season, so they may have some hope of toppling Inter again.

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:

Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Zielinski, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram

Bologna possible starting lineup:

Skorupski; Holm, Beukema, Casale, Miranda; Freuler, Pobega; Orsolini, Ferguson, Dominguez; Castro