Napoli welcome Bologna to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona tonight, 11 May 2026, for the final fixture of Serie A Matchday 36. Although Napoli can no longer retain the Scudetto after Inter Milan secured the league title, Antonio Conte's side still has an important objective in front of them: strengthening their grip on second place and moving closer to confirming Champions League qualification for next season.
Napoli begin the night second in Serie A with 70 points from 35 matches, having recorded 21 wins, seven draws and seven defeats. They have scored 52 goals and conceded 33, giving them a +19 goal difference. Bologna arrive in Naples ninth with 49 points from 35 matches after 14 wins, seven draws and 14 defeats, with 42 goals scored and 41 conceded.
The visitors have little margin for error if they want to finish inside the top half, while Napoli will be determined to avoid allowing a strong season to lose momentum during the closing weeks of the campaign.
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Napoli vs Bologna Head-to-Head Summary
Napoli have traditionally enjoyed the better overall record in this fixture, particularly when playing Bologna in Naples. Before tonight's meeting, the two clubs had faced each other 76 times competitively in Naples. Napoli had won 40 of those matches, Bologna had won 13, while 23 finished level.
Interestingly, draws at the Maradona have become extremely rare in this fixture: the most recent league draw between Napoli and Bologna in Naples came all the way back in the 2011/12 season. Looking only at the most recent 10 competitive meetings between the clubs, Napoli also hold the advantage.
Napoli wins: 5
Bologna wins: 2
Draws: 3
Napoli goals: 16
Bologna goals: 9
Total goals: 25
Average goals per match: 2.5
Napoli therefore have the stronger record over this period, but the more recent league meetings show why Bologna cannot simply be dismissed. The Rossoblu have lost only one of the last six Serie A meetings between the teams and won this season's reverse fixture.
Napoli vs Bologna Last 10 Matches
The last 10 competitive meetings before tonight are:
22 December 2025: Napoli 2-0 Bologna – Supercoppa Italiana
9 November 2025: Bologna 2-0 Napoli – Serie A
7 April 2025: Bologna 1-1 Napoli – Serie A
25 August 2024: Napoli 3-0 Bologna – Serie A
11 May 2024: Napoli 0-2 Bologna – Serie A
24 September 2023: Bologna 0-0 Napoli – Serie A
28 May 2023: Bologna 2-2 Napoli – Serie A
16 October 2022: Napoli 3-2 Bologna – Serie A
17 January 2022: Bologna 0-2 Napoli – Serie A
28 October 2021: Napoli 3-0 Bologna – Serie A
Napoli's most recent victory over Bologna came in December's Supercoppa Italiana final in Riyadh. David Neres scored twice as Conte's side won 2-0 to lift the trophy. Bologna, however, had already beaten Napoli by the same scoreline in Serie A earlier in the season, with Thijs Dallinga and Jhon Lucumí scoring in the November meeting at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.
That November victory means Bologna arrive in Naples with an opportunity to complete their first Serie A double over Napoli since 2002.
Napoli Current Form
Napoli may have surrendered their Serie A title to Inter, but their league position still represents a strong campaign under Conte.
Their recent Serie A sequence stands at W-W-D-L-W-D across the previous six league matches. Their latest outing ended in a 0-0 draw away to Como on 2 May, following an impressive 4-0 home victory against Cremonese. The clean sheet at Como also extended Napoli's run without conceding to 213 minutes ahead of tonight's fixture.
Defensively, Napoli have generally been difficult to break down this season. They have conceded 33 goals through their opening 35 league matches, and the team's ability to manage games has been one of the reasons they remain comfortably positioned near the top of the table.
Home form provides another major reason for optimism. Napoli have won 20 and lost only one of their previous 28 Serie A matches at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. That record makes Naples a difficult destination for any opponent, even though Bologna themselves recorded a 2-0 victory here in May 2024.
Napoli also carry plenty of threat from set pieces. Only Inter and Genoa have scored more set-piece goals than their 15 in Serie A this season, while Conte's side have collected 13 points after falling behind in matches.
Bologna Current Form
Bologna's season has been much more inconsistent, and their form has declined as the campaign approaches its conclusion. Vincenzo Italiano's side have picked up only one point from their previous three competitive matches, with their last victory coming in a 2-0 league win against Lecce on 12 April.
Their most recent Serie A match ended 0-0 against Cagliari, following consecutive league defeats. Bologna's recent league form reads W-L-W-L-L-D, and they have failed to score in each of their previous three Serie A fixtures.
That lack of goals is particularly concerning because Bologna have players capable of causing problems in attacking areas. Riccardo Orsolini leads the team with eight Serie A goals, although most of those strikes came during the first half of the campaign. He has also yet to score in 13 previous league appearances against Napoli.
Bologna have nevertheless travelled relatively well. Their overall away record is among the better ones in Serie A, giving Italiano reason to believe his side can still trouble Napoli despite their recent difficulties.
Napoli vs Bologna Tactical Analysis
Conte has frequently used a 3-4-2-1 formation with Napoli this season, giving his team three central defenders, width from the wing-backs and two attacking players operating behind the main striker.
Rasmus Hojlund is expected to lead the attack and enters tonight as Napoli's leading Serie A scorer with 10 goals. Scott McTominay has also been crucial from midfield, scoring nine league goals and providing the kind of late runs into the penalty area that can be particularly difficult for defenders to track.
Matteo Politano is another important part of Napoli's attacking structure. Only Federico Dimarco has attempted more crosses from the byline in Serie A this season, highlighting how regularly Napoli look to create chances from wide positions.
Hojlund's physical presence should also provide an interesting battle against Bologna's defence. Only Mateo Pellegrino has been involved in more ground duels than Hojlund and Bologna forward Santiago Castro among the players highlighted by Serie A ahead of this match. Bologna are expected to operate in a 4-3-3, with Italiano's football generally relying on intensity, aggressive duels and direct progression when opportunities appear.
One particularly interesting statistic is Bologna's use of longer passes. No Serie A side has averaged more long passes this season, while only Verona and Genoa have been involved in more duels on average. That approach could allow Bologna to bypass parts of Napoli's midfield and attack space quickly, particularly if Orsolini and Jonathan Rowe can find opportunities in wide areas. However, their recent inability to turn attacking possession into goals remains a concern.
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Napoli Team Injuries and News
Napoli's injury situation has improved considerably compared with earlier stages of the season. Captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo returned to the bench against Como and is pushing to make his first start since suffering a knee injury in January. His return would provide Conte with additional experience and leadership on the right side of the defence.
Antonio Vergara has also returned to full training. The two major players still unavailable are Romelu Lukaku and David Neres. Lukaku had been dealing with persistent hamstring and hip problems, while Neres also remains sidelined ahead of the Bologna match. With several other players returning to fitness, Conte has far more options than he had during Napoli's more difficult periods earlier in the campaign.
Bologna Team Injuries and News
Bologna have more significant availability concerns heading into the match. Nicolò Cambiaghi, Martin Vitik and Nicolò Casale are all unavailable for the trip to Naples. Their absences reduce Italiano's options, particularly defensively.
There is some positive news, however. João Mário has recovered from a muscular problem, while first-choice goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski could return to the squad after spending around seven weeks on the sidelines.
Santiago Castro could also return to the starting attack after Bologna struggled for goals with Jens Odgaard operating as a false nine. Thijs Dallinga is another attacking option expected to be available again.
Players to Watch
For Napoli, Rasmus Hojlund will be one of the biggest attacking threats. His 10 league goals make him Napoli's leading Serie A scorer, while his strength and willingness to battle centre-backs provide Conte with an important focal point.
Scott McTominay is equally important. The Scottish midfielder has scored nine Serie A goals and regularly arrives in dangerous areas from deeper positions. His duel with fellow Scotland international Lewis Ferguson could be one of the most interesting midfield battles of the evening.
For Bologna, Riccardo Orsolini remains the obvious attacking danger. His recent scoring form may have slowed, but his ability to cut inside and create shooting opportunities makes him a player Napoli cannot afford to leave unattended. Santiago Castro could also be important if recalled to lead the attack, especially as Bologna look to rediscover their scoring touch after three consecutive league matches without a goal.
Napoli vs Bologna Prediction and Team Favourite
Napoli deserve to enter tonight's match as favourites. Conte's side are second in Serie A, have a significantly stronger defensive record and have been extremely difficult to beat at the Maradona. Their squad is also beginning to recover from injuries at an important point in the season.
Bologna should not be underestimated. They beat Napoli 2-0 earlier this season, have generally travelled well and have lost only one of their previous six league meetings with the Partenopei. Those results show that Italiano has found ways to make this fixture uncomfortable for Napoli.
However, Bologna's immediate form is difficult to ignore. One point from their previous three competitive matches and three consecutive Serie A games without scoring leave them travelling to one of the league's strongest home sides at a difficult moment.
Napoli also have a clear incentive to finish the campaign strongly. With Champions League qualification not yet mathematically secured and second place still to protect, there should be no reason for Conte's players to approach this match casually. Serie A itself describes Napoli as seeking the points required to reinforce their position near the top of the table.
Bologna have enough quality to make the contest competitive, but Napoli's superior home form, stronger defensive numbers and greater attacking options give them the edge.