Liverpool face Bologna on Wednesday evening looking for a second Champions League win of the season against Italian opposition.
The Reds responded brilliantly to an early setback against AC Milan two weeks ago to record a dominating victory.
Those three points have given Liverpool the platform to build a good Champions League campaign in this year’s new-look competition.
Bologna should not be taken lightly, though, and Arne Slot will be guarding his team against complacency at Anfield.
However, the Rossoblu are big underdogs against the Reds, having only previously featured at the top table of European football once in their history.
And ahead of the task facing he and his team at Anfield, Bologna boss Vincenzo Italiano has explained exactly why Liverpool are such heavy favourites.
Vincenzo Italiano praises Liverpool
Italiano is not the man who led Bologna into the Champions League last season. That was Thiago Motta, who secured a fifth placed finish in Serie A before leaving for Juventus.
Motta appeared to be in the running for the Liverpool job at one stage such was the good work he was doing at the Renato Dall’Ara.
But since the former PSG midfielder left them – and Italiano joined from Fiorentina – Bologna haven’t been quite the same.
They currently sit 13th in the table, with one win, four draws and one loss from six games. Not a terrible record, but not one that will strike fear into Slot.
READ MORE: Liverpool’s predicted XI against Bologna as Arne Slot drops ‘unprofessional’ player
And speaking to the press at Anfield via Football Italia on Tuesday, Italiano admitted that he and his team are wary of Liverpool ‘putting them in difficulty’ during Wednesday’s game.
“Liverpool knows how to put you in difficulty from all points of view,” said the 46-year-old.
“They jump on you if you’re timid, and they know how to keep possession. Each of us must give our maximum; we must be concentrated since this is a mini-tournament and we need to optimize everything possible.”
Liverpool team news vs Bologna
Sandwiched in between two tough Premier League away days, it will be interesting to see what Slot decides to do with his Liverpool XI against Bologna.
It looks likely that the Dutchman will have to make at least one change from the team that beat Wolves after Diogo Jota missed training on Tuesday.
Slot has since confirmed that Jota should be back fit to be be considered for Wednesday’s game, but it seems more likely that Darwin Nunez will return to lead the line.
Meanwhile, Federico Chiesa will definitely miss the Bologna game, but could be back to face Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Harvey Elliott aside, everyone else in the Liverpool squad is seemingly fit and ready to make life difficult for Italiano and his team.
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