AC Milan vs Bologna Predicted Lineups and Team News – Serie A

AC Milan welcome Bologna to Milan in Serie A Regular Season - 9 with both sides heading into this fixture with very different ambitions. Milan are flying high in 4th place on 18 points from 8 matches, still unbeaten with 5 wins and 3 draws and a goal difference of +9 (16 scored, 7 conceded). Bologna, by contrast, sit 13th with 8 points from 8 games, having lost half of their league fixtures so far and carrying a negative goal difference of -2 (8 scored, 10 conceded).

Form trends underline why Milan come in as favourites. Their league form string of WWDWD shows consistency, while the extended form line in all competitions reads WWDDWDWW, pointing to strong attacking and defensive balance. Bologna’s league form of WLWDL and the broader sequence LLDLDWLW is far more erratic, with defensive lapses undermining their efforts. With that backdrop, this clash at San Siro becomes a key test of Milan’s top‑four credentials and Bologna’s ability to take something from a difficult away trip. With predicted lineups heavily influenced by injuries and recent usage patterns, the starting lineup choices will be decisive.

Win probabilities from the prediction model give Milan and the draw equal weight at 45% each, with Bologna at just 10%. The comparison indices also lean towards the hosts: Milan lead the overall comparison index 63.5 vs 36.5, with advantages in form, attack and defense. Market odds broadly agree, with home prices between 1.57 and 1.65 implying roughly a 60–64% chance of a Milan win, well above Bologna’s away quotes in the 5.00–5.71 range.

AC Milan Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Milan’s squad picture is complex, with several important absentees. Wide threat S. Chukwueze, defenders M. Gabbia and M. Gila, versatile youngster D. Moreira, midfield engine A. Rabiot and wide option A. Saelemaekers are all ruled out as missing this fixture. In addition, R. Loftus-Cheek is listed as questionable with an injury and must be considered a doubt for the expected matchday squad. Even with these setbacks, Milan’s depth and recent form (WWDWD in the league) suggest they can still field a strong starting lineup.

Tactically, Milan have alternated between three‑at‑the‑back and back‑four structures this season, but the common thread is an attacking-minded shape that looks to dominate territory and push wing players high. With key creators like A. Rabiot unavailable, more responsibility will fall on experienced technicians such as L. Modrić and dynamic wide players like C. Pulišić and Diego Moreira. The expected approach should be proactive, with Milan pressing Bologna’s build-up and using their strong second‑half scoring trend (10 of 16 league goals between minutes 61–75) to tilt the game late on.

AC Milan Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: M. Maignan
DF: P. Estupiñán, S. Pavlović, F. Tomori, K. De Winter
MF: L. Modrić, Y. Musah, Diego Moreira, C. Pulišić, A. Jashari
FW: Gonçalo Ramos

This predicted lineup leans on Milan’s core of established starters and their most productive attacking pieces. In goal, M. Maignan is the natural first choice from a deep goalkeeping pool. At the back, S. Pavlović is a key figure: he appears in both the top yellow cards and top red cards lists, reflecting his aggressive, front‑foot defending. Alongside F. Tomori and K. De Winter, with P. Estupiñán offering thrust from the flank, Milan can build a compact but progressive defensive block.

In midfield and attack, the absence of A. Rabiot is significant. He is Milan’s standout statistical performer so far in Serie A, with 4 goals and 3 assists, 8 key passes, and an excellent passing accuracy of 87%. Losing that combination of goal threat and creativity forces others to step up. Diego Moreira is the obvious candidate: he has 3 goals and 1 assist from just 5 appearances, with a strong rating and impressive dribbling numbers (10 successful dribbles from 18 attempts). Used in an advanced midfield or wide role, he becomes a primary outlet in the expected starting lineup.

C. Pulišić adds another layer of creativity and direct running from midfield, while Y. Musah and L. Modrić provide balance between ball progression and control. Up front, Gonçalo Ramos is the logical focal point from the available attackers, offering penalty‑box presence to finish off the volume of chances Milan tend to create, especially in the 61–75 minute window where they have been most dangerous.

Bologna Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Bologna also come into this match with notable absences. E. Holm, R. Orsolini and R. Piccoli are all ruled out as missing the fixture, removing an important right‑sided runner, a key wide goal threat and a depth striker from the manager’s options. Unlike Milan, Bologna do not have any players listed as questionable; their issues are straightforward absences that thin out the attacking rotation.

With lineups today likely to be shaped by those injuries, Bologna will be forced to lean heavily on their remaining creative core. Their league form of WLWDL and the broader sequence LLDLDWLW indicate inconsistency, but they have shown they can be stubborn, conceding just 3 goals in 4 away matches. Expect an organised, flexible shape that can switch between a back four and a back three, with emphasis on compactness and counter-attacks through F. Bernardeschi and N. Cambiaghi. The aim will be to frustrate Milan and exploit any transition moments rather than to dominate the ball.

Bologna Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: Ł. Skorupski
DF: N. Casale, A. Theate, M. Darmian
MF: Juan Miranda, N. Zortea, L. Ferguson, N. Moro, O. El Azzouzi, N. Cambiaghi
FW: F. Bernardeschi

Between the posts, experienced Ł. Skorupski is the clear first choice from Bologna’s goalkeeping options. In defence, the predicted back line is built around N. Casale and A. Theate as central stoppers, with M. Darmian’s versatility allowing him to operate either as a third centre‑back or as a full‑back depending on the in‑game structure. This gives Bologna the flexibility to shift between a more conservative block and a slightly more adventurous shape when they have the ball.

In midfield and attack, Bologna’s predicted lineup is heavily influenced by their statistical standouts. Juan Miranda is one of Serie A’s top assist providers this season with 3 assists and 12 key passes from a wide or wing‑back role, making him a critical creative outlet on the flank. N. Cambiaghi, listed among the top assist contributors with 2 assists and 10 key passes, is expected to operate between the lines or from a wide attacking midfield position, linking transitions and drawing fouls (28 fouls drawn already). L. Ferguson and N. Moro provide work‑rate and ball circulation in central areas, while O. El Azzouzi and N. Zortea add legs and width.

Up front, F. Bernardeschi is the obvious focal point. He appears in both the top yellow and top red card leaderboards for his combative style, but more importantly he has scored 2 league goals and taken 16 shots (9 on target), underlining his role as Bologna’s primary shooting threat. With R. Orsolini unavailable, Bernardeschi’s ability to cut inside and shoot from range becomes even more central to Bologna’s attacking plan.

Injuries and Suspended Players Impact

The absences on both sides have a clear tactical and statistical impact on this fixture. Milan lose their most productive midfielder in A. Rabiot and two additional wide options in S. Chukwueze and A. Saelemaekers, which reduces their natural width and late‑running threat from midfield. Bologna, meanwhile, are without key wide attacker R. Orsolini and depth options in E. Holm and R. Piccoli, limiting their ability to rotate and vary their attacking patterns.

AC Milan Absences:

• S. Chukwueze — Hip Injury (Missing Fixture)
• M. Gabbia — Thigh Injury (Missing Fixture)
• M. Gila — Ankle Injury (Missing Fixture)
• D. Moreira — Thigh Injury (Missing Fixture)
• A. Rabiot — Calf Injury (Missing Fixture)
• A. Saelemaekers — Ankle Injury (Missing Fixture)
• R. Loftus-Cheek — Injury (Questionable)

Bologna Absences:

• E. Holm — Thigh Injury (Missing Fixture)
• R. Orsolini — Thigh Injury (Missing Fixture)
• R. Piccoli — Hamstring Injury (Missing Fixture)

Tactical Analysis: How the Lineups Match Up

On paper, Milan’s predicted lineup has a clear edge in both attacking firepower and defensive solidity. Their league goals profile shows a strong capacity to score, averaging 2 goals per game and with a notable spike in the 61–75 minute period. Even without A. Rabiot, the combination of Diego Moreira and C. Pulišić in advanced midfield roles offers dribbling, chance creation and goal threat. Moreira’s 3 goals and 1 assist, plus his high dribble success rate, make him a key figure against Bologna’s defensive block, especially when driving at defenders like N. Casale and A. Theate.

Bologna’s best route into the game lies in exploiting transitions and set‑pieces. The comparison indices show Milan leading the attack index 65 vs 35 and the defense index 55 vs 45, but Bologna are not without weapons. Juan Miranda’s crossing and set‑piece delivery (3 assists, 12 key passes) will test Milan’s back line, particularly if S. Pavlović, who is aggressive and card‑prone, gets drawn into wide areas. N. Cambiaghi’s ability to carry the ball and draw fouls can help relieve pressure and win advanced free kicks, while F. Bernardeschi’s shooting threat from distance could punish any lapses on the edge of the box. However, Bologna’s overall record of 8 goals scored and 10 conceded, coupled with a form index of 47% over the last five games, suggests they will struggle to sustain pressure for long periods at San Siro.

Match Prediction and Verdict

All major indicators point towards Milan avoiding defeat, and most point to a home win. The prediction model gives Milan a 45% chance to win, with the draw also at 45% and Bologna at just 10%. The overall comparison index is 63.5 vs 36.5 in favour of the hosts, and the Poisson index sits at 73 vs 27, again tilting the balance towards Milan. Market odds reinforce this picture: home prices between 1.57 and 1.65 imply around a 60–64% chance of a Milan victory, while away odds between 5.00 and 5.71 translate to roughly 17–20%.

Given Milan’s unbeaten league record, stronger underlying attacking numbers, and Bologna’s patchy form, the most likely outcomes are a narrow home win or a draw. The goals projections in the prediction block are expressed via thresholds rather than explicit scorelines, but with Milan averaging 2 goals per league game and Bologna averaging 1, a controlled, low‑to‑mid scoring Milan success fits both the statistical and tactical landscape.

Predicted Outcome: AC Milan 2-1 Bologna

How to Watch AC Milan vs Bologna Worldwide

Here is how you can watch the match and see the official lineups today live:

• Spain: Local Serie A broadcast partner / streaming platform
• UK: Domestic rights holder for Serie A coverage
• USA / North America: Major sports network or dedicated Serie A streaming service
• South America: Regional sports channel with Italian football rights
• MENA: Satellite sports network carrying Serie A fixtures