Liverpool vs. Bologna

After making an ideal begin to their Champions League marketing campaign in Milan, Liverpool are again in motion on Wednesday and host one other Italian staff, Bologna, at Anfield.

Champions League (2) | AnfieldOctober 2, 2024 | 8pm (BST)

Liverpool have a few damage points with which to deal, however Arne Slot nonetheless has a powerful squad to choose because the Reds play their second Champions League recreation of the season.

In an odd quirk, this may also be their fourth consecutive European recreation towards Italian opposition, having performed Atalanta twice, Milan and now Bologna.

1. Again underneath the lights

With the evenings rising darker and nights getting colder, there’ll fortunately nonetheless be no less than one beacon of sunshine in L4 this Wednesday, because the Reds host a Champions League match for the primary time since February 2023.

This may not be a classic European evening as Liverpool are agency favourites and nonetheless have six video games of the league section to play after the Bologna conflict.

Nonetheless, it is going to be nice nonetheless to listen to the Champions League anthem performed, again underneath the lights at Anfield.

Slot is trying ahead to it, too, telling UEFA: “I understand how particular a house recreation at Feyenoord was, however the dwelling video games in Europe have been much more particular.

“So, as a result of folks informed me it’s the identical right here at Liverpool, I count on rather a lot once we play the primary recreation towards [Bologna]. I’m positively trying ahead to my first expertise of European nights, a European night.”

2. Group information

The principle information is that Federico Chiesa is not going to be concerned as he missed coaching after coming in on Tuesday “with some issues.”

On the Italian, Slot added: “I’m not anticipating him to be out for a really lengthy time frame, however this recreation just isn’t potential for him and we’ve got to attend and see if he can managed to be within the staff on Saturday.”

Slot’s replace on Diogo Jota was extra optimistic, although, after the Portuguese missed coaching.

“Diogo missed out on two periods after the sport towards Wolves. He took a knock,” the coach defined.

“I’m anticipating him to be with us tomorrow, that he’s accessible to play.”

Darwin Nunez and Andy Robertson each skilled as common however Harvey Elliott, Jayden Danns and James McConnell stay sidelined.

3. Beginning XI prediction

We’ve seen thus far that Slot isn’t a giant fan of creating modifications, solely correctly doing so within the League Cup final week.

Having stated that, this could be an excellent alternative to play the likes of Cody Gakpo and Curtis Jones who actually wouldn’t considerably weaken the staff.

There may be even a powerful argument that Gakpo ought to change Luis Diaz anyway, given the Colombian’s quiet recreation towards Wolves on Saturday.

Beginning XI prediction: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo

4. Bologna’s choice issues

Having bought Riccardo Calafiori and Joshua Zirkzee in the summertime, Bologna aren’t fairly the pressure they have been final season that noticed them fifth in Serie A to sneak into the Champions League.

Supervisor Vincenzo Italiano is having to manage with out captain Lewis Ferguson, who has an ACL damage, in addition to fellow midfielders Oussama El Azzouzi and Tommaso Pobega.

This season, they’ve managed only one win in seven video games thus far, however did present promise on the weekend as, with 10 males, they virtually scraped a win over Atalanta earlier than the Europa League champions made it 1-1 in damage time.

The Italians’ largest menace towards Liverpool ought to be on the flanks, with each Dan Ndoye and Riccardo Orsolini very a lot able to beating their man.

5. Present Europe they “missed us!”

In his pre-match press convention, Slot known as upon the supporters and gamers to make Wednesday evening an event.

“What I count on from our gamers, they’ve missed out on Champions League for a 12 months so after they step out on the pitch tomorrow, I need to see this,” he stated.

“I need to really feel this that they really feel like, ‘Ah, we missed this for a season’.

“Now, a membership of this commonplace, we’ve got to be prepared and I’m hoping and anticipating from our followers. They’ve missed out on Champions League for a season and I’m hoping that they really feel this want to indicate to Europe once more, ‘Ah, you missed us due to this!’”

6. Alisson’s birthday landmark

Alisson is in line to make his fiftieth European look for the Reds and celebrates his thirty second birthday on the day of the sport!

That is the eighth successive season during which the Reds have confronted Italian opposition. Dwelling and away, they’ve confronted golf equipment from Italy 42 occasions, profitable 20 and shedding 18.

At Anfield, Liverpool have met Italian golf equipment 18 occasions, profitable 10, drawing one and shedding seven.

6. The opposite fixtures

Whereas our focus can be on occasions in Liverpool, there can be loads of different Champions League motion occurring throughout the continent on Wednesday evening.

Notably, Aston Villa host Bayern Munich in a re-run of the 1982 remaining that Villa famously received 1-0 at Feyenoord’s floor, De Kuip, in Rotterdam.

Elsewhere, it’s value maintaining a tally of RB Leipzig’s efficiency towards Juventus, as Liverpool’s subsequent European match can be towards them in Germany.

7. Mac Allister weighs in on workload challenge

The difficulty of gamers being overworked throughout the 12 months has been within the highlight of late, with Rodri talking significantly strongly on the subject, and Alexis Mac Allister has grow to be the most recent participant requested for his opinion.

Earlier than the Bologna match, the Argentine stated: “I don’t suppose there’s a lot so as to add.

“The one factor I can say is that all of us love taking part in soccer and sure, we’re drained, there’s plenty of video games, however the one factor I might say or I need to say is that we’d like extra communication between all of the events, between gamers managers and everybody.

“I believe that’s the one method to go ahead and that’s what the gamers ask.”

8. Who’s the referee?

There can be a Montenegrin officiating staff at Anfield for this one, with Nikola Dabanovic taking cost within the center – this can be simply his second Champions League correct recreation as a referee.

His assistants can be Vladan Todorovic and Srdan Jovanovic, whereas Milos Boskovic takes on fourth-official duties.

The lead VAR is Tomasz Kwiatkowski from Poland.