The second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final between Bologna and Empoli will take place on April 24 at the Renato Dall'Ara Stadium. The first match ended 3-0 in favor of Bologna. Bologna vs. Empoli: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Bologna
After a convincing 3-0 victory over Empoli in the first leg, the team extended their unbeaten run in regular time in the Coppa Italia to seven matches (5 wins, 2 draws). Moreover, the club managed to keep a clean sheet for the fourth consecutive match in this tournament. To reach the final, Vincenzo Italiano's side only needs to avoid losing by more than two goals in regular time. Notably, Bologna has not reached the final of the national cup since 1974.
- The club has not lost in regular time in 7 of their last 8 home matches in the Coppa Italia (5 wins, 1 draw).
- The team has not conceded in regular time in their last five home games in the national cup.
- Bologna has scored exactly one or two goals in regular time in 6 of their last 8 home matches in this tournament.
Predicted lineup for Bologna (4-5-1)
Lukasz Skorupski – Davide Calabria, Sam Beukema, Jhon Lucumi, Juan Miranda – Remo Freuler, Lewis Ferguson, Riccardo Orsolini, Jens Odgaard, Dan Ndoye – Thijs Dallinga.
Defenders Lorenzo De Silvestri and Charalampos Lykogiannis will miss the match due to injuries.
Empoli
Roberto D'Aversa's side suffered their first defeat in regular time in five Coppa Italia matches (2 wins, 2 draws) after losing the first leg. Additionally, Empoli lost by a large margin for the first time in this tournament since 2018. The team also ended a 13-match scoring streak in the national cup. To reach the final, the club needs to win by at least four goals in regular time. If Empoli wins by three goals, a penalty shootout will be held. Notably, the team has never reached the Coppa Italia final before.
- The team has not lost in regular time in their last five away matches in the national cup (2 wins, 3 draws).
- At least three goals have been scored in regular time in 6 of Empoli's last 7 away matches in this tournament.
- Both teams have scored in regular time in Empoli's last seven away matches in the Coppa Italia.
Predicted lineup for Empoli (3-5-2)
Jacopo Seghetti – Luca Marianucci, Mattia De Sciglio, Lorenzo Tosto – Liberato Cacace, Emmanuel Gyasi, Jacopo Bacci, Jacopo Fazzini, Viktor Kovalenko – Lorenzo Colombo, Ola Solbakken.
Defender Ardian Ismajli, midfielders Nicolas Haas and Youssef Maleh, and forward Christian Kouame will not play due to injuries.
Referee
Matteo Marchenaro (Italy)
Matches – 7 (Serie A, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 36;
Average yellow cards per match – 5.1;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 23;
Penalties – 43%.
Bologna vs. Empoli: Match Prediction
At home, Bologna tends to play aggressively and spends a lot of time on the opponent's half. The team rarely struggles to break through defenses: in their last eight home matches in the Coppa Italia, they have scored 18 goals in regular time. In only two instances during this period did Bologna score fewer than two goals in 90 minutes.
Empoli surprisingly performs confidently away in cup matches, and their high scoring rate is notable: in their last seven away matches in the national cup, they have found the net in regular time. Moreover, only against Juventus did Empoli score fewer than two goals in 90 minutes. However, the team's defense is not of high quality: they have not kept a clean sheet in their last 11 away matches in this tournament.
Considering the result of the first match, I expect both teams to play more freely and deliver a high-scoring game. My prediction: Both teams to score – Yes
