Como finally return home on Saturday afternoon, as they welcome Bologna to Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, with both teams still seeking a first Serie A win of the season.
The hosts have played their first four games of the campaign on the road while their stadium was brought up to top-flight standards; now, Champions League-bound opponents visit their lakeside headquarters.
Match preview
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Starting off with elimination from the Coppa Italia at the hands of Serie B side Sampdoria, Como have not enjoyed their road trip around Italy since the start of their 2024-25 campaign.
Having been promoted from the second tier last season, the Lombardy club had to renovate Stadio Sinigaglia during the summer, so each of their first three league games were also played away from home.
After a 1-0 defeat to Udinese just before the international break, Como have collected just one point so far, and it will come as a relief that they can now play at home for the first time in Serie A since 2003.
Last year, the Lariani recorded 12 wins and only two losses from 19 league matches on home turf, but they must step up a level in terms of opposition this season.
With his side sitting bottom of the early Serie A standings, coach Cesc Fabregas will be keen to end an unwanted streak in Como's top-flight history: they have failed to win the opening home fixture in any of their last 10 Serie A campaigns.
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Bologna last met Saturday's hosts in the top flight some 21 years ago, suffering a 5-1 defeat at Stadio Sinigaglia, which can be considered a bogey ground for the Rossoblu: they have played more Serie A away games against Como without winning than against any other club.
A record of seven defeats from nine previous visits makes for grim reading, and Vincenzo Italiano's current side will be under pressure to finally end that trend, having made a slow start to the new season.
Last year's surprise package, finishing fifth under former boss Thiago Motta, Bologna have proved unable to continue in the same vein since Italiano took charge in the summer.
Between disappointing home draws against Udinese and Empoli, the Emilian club were beaten 3-0 by Napoli, so stretching back to the end of last season they have won just one of their last eight games.
Since April, no team has drawn more Serie A matches - seven out of 12 - and the momentum that carried Motta's side into Europe's top club competition seems to have been squandered.
Having previously participated in the European Cup many decades ago, Bologna will make their Champions League debut next week, when welcoming Shakhtar Donetsk to Stadio Dall'Ara. First, though, they must aim to get off the mark with a win in Serie A.
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Team News
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Once again, Cesc Fabregas will be without Como's most high-profile signing of a busy summer in the transfer market, as Raphael Varane joins midfielder Daniele Baselli on the sidelines.
One of several players competing for a place in the final third, Simone Verdi scored 16 times in 62 Serie A appearances for Bologna, reaching double figures for both goals (10) and assists (10) in 2017-18; however, he is most likely to start on the bench against his old club.
Another man experiencing a decline in fortunes, Andrea Belotti, has not scored a single goal in his last 11 league games against Bologna, having previously netted his first Serie A hat-trick against them back in 2016. He has yet to find the net for his new club either, following fruitless spells with Roma and Fiorentina.
Similarly, no player has had more shots without scoring this season than Bologna's Santiago Castro: 10, of which only two have hit the target.
Therefore, Vincenzo Italiano could consider bringing Thijs Dallinga into the visitors' starting XI, with Riccardo Orsolini and Jesper Karlsson in support. Swiss winger Dan Ndoye is still struggling with a thigh injury, but Aston Villa loanee Samuel Iling-Junior is another attacking option.
Furthermore, summer signings Emil Holm (ankle) and Nicolo Cambiaghi (knee) join Oussama El Azzouzi (also knee) and long-term absentee Lewis Ferguson (ACL) in the treatment room.
Como possible starting lineup:
Reina; Iovine, Kempf, Dossena, Moreno; Mazzitelli, Roberto; Strefezza, Cutrone, Da Cunha; Belotti
Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Posch, Beukema, Casale, Miranda; Pobega, Freuler, Aebischer; Orsolini, Castro, Karlsson
We say: Como 0-1 Bologna
With only three goals between them so far, neither side has been able to replicate last season's form in the final third, so one moment of magic - or madness - could decide the outcome.
Vincenzo Italiano's greater experience at the top level could see Cesc Fabregas and co defeated again, leaving cash-rich Como rock-bottom of Serie A.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
