Bologna 'fully focused' on strong finish
Vincenzo Italiano insists Bologna are motivated to finish their season on a high note despite a tough run of games and is not scared of facing Napoli.
Bologna has slipped to 10th in Serie A after a three-game winless streak in which it has not scored, meaning its hopes of a European place are all but over.
It takes on Napoli, Atalanta and Inter in its remaining three games, with this its first meeting with Antonio Conte's side since the Supercoppa Italiana final in December, a match it lost 2-0.
That result is long behind it, according to Italiano, who wants his team to prove a thorn in the side of its upcoming opponents, using Serie A champion Inter as an example.
"We want to finish strong and find the right motivation to play these games at our best," he said. "You saw Inter: despite having already won the Scudetto, they're still fired up. It has to be the same for us.
"No one likes to make a bad impression. We have to honour every race to the fullest.
"I was asked if the match against Napoli was decisive, but there are still a lot of points up for grabs.
"[This game] won't be a normal match, but something more. We've prepared everything carefully and are fully focused."
Bologna has only gone four or more consecutive Serie A matches without scoring twice in the last 10 seasons – in September 2018 (five) and April 2022 (four).
While Bologna does not have anything to play for in the league, Napoli is still seeking to secure its Champions League spot for next season.
It is second in the table on 70 points, three clear of Roma in fifth, but a six-point cushion would go a long way to securing a top-four finish.
Napoli could record 22 or more wins for the 11th time in the last 14 top-flight seasons, having never reached this milestone in any of the 66 campaigns beforehand.
