Brushing aside a makeshift Empoli team at Stadio Castellani, where the clubs met for the first leg of their cup semi-final on Tuesday, Bologna cruised to a dominant 3-0 win that virtually booked their trip to Rome.

In complete control from the moment Riccardo Orsolini continued his superb goalscoring campaign midway through the first half, they eventually tripled that advantage, as Dan Ndoye twice teed up Thijs Dallinga.

It was another fine win for the Emilian club - who have now posted six on the spin across all competitions - but before the second leg takes place later this month, they must start a particularly tough Serie A run-in.

Orsolini equalled his best top-flight goals tally - 11, as in the 2022-23 season - by scoring the winner against lowly Venezia last week, but the level of Bologna's opposition now steps up a notch.

With eight league games to play, Atalanta BC, Juventus, Fiorentina and both Milan clubs still await Vincenzo Italiano's men, as a multi-club battle for European places reaches its conclusion.

First, the Rossoblu return to home turf - where they have won six consecutive Serie A matches - aiming to end a winless streak against Napoli at the Dall'Ara that stretches back to 2019.

In fact - home or away - Napoli have lost just one of their last 10 league meetings with Bologna, following a 3-0 victory at Stadio Maradona earlier this season.

Antonio Conte's squad will now look to do the double, with every point being precious in their fight with Inter Milan to secure the Italian title.

Still intent on claiming a second Scudetto in three years, the Partenopei have won only two of their last eight league games, but they remain Inter's closest rivals.

While the Nerazzurri face a packed run-in, as they compete on three separate fronts, Conte's men can focus on each of their eight remaining Serie A fixtures, having returned from the recent international break with a crucial 2-1 home win.

Beating AC Milan for the second time this season, Napoli raced into a two-goal lead as Matteo Politano's early strike was followed by a scuffed finish from talisman Romelu Lukaku, who registered his 400th career goal.

In 2025, only Capocannoniere favourite Mateo Retegui has been involved in more Serie A strikes than Lukaku, whose tally of five goals and four assists has kept his club's ailing title challenge alive.

After defying Milan's late siege and securing three points, Napoli could now post back-to-back league wins for the first time since January - the same month they last won away from home - but Bologna stand in their way.

Though Bologna strolled to victory in their Coppa Italia clash with Empoli, they did so at a cost, with right-back Davide Calabria suffering an ankle sprain.

The former Milan captain's absence will see Emil Holm and Lorenzo De Silvestri vie for selection, while Vincenzo Italiano is set to make more changes to his starting XI.

Santiago Castro is now back in full training, after returning from his first senior Argentina call-up with a bruised foot, so he can compete with Thijs Dallinga to feature up front.

There are also several candidates for places behind the lone striker, led by Riccardo Orsolini. Over the past three Serie A seasons, no Italian player has recorded more than the winger's 32 goals; however, he has met Napoli 11 times without ever scoring or providing an assist.

By contrast, the visitors' main marksman thoroughly enjoys meeting Bologna: Romelu Lukaku has scored five goals in as many games against the Rossoblu - averaging one every 81 minutes.

Antonio Conte reverted to a 4-3-3 formation last time out, following a spell with Lukaku partnering Giacomo Raspadori in a 3-5-2, so wide men Matteo Politano and David Neres are again set to support the Belgian striker.

After Scott McTominay withdrew from meeting Milan due to illness, the Scottish star should return to Napoli's lineup - probably at the expense of compatriot Billy Gilmour. With McTominay back in the fold, only Leonardo Spinazzola is a doubt for the trip to Emilia-Romagna.

Bologna possible starting lineup:

Skorupski; Holm, Beukema, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Ferguson; Orsolini, Odgaard, Ndoye; Castro

Napoli possible starting lineup:

Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka, McTominay; Politano, Lukaku, Neres