Following years of Juventus dominating Serie A – winning nine league titles in a row between 2012 and 2020 – the previous three seasons have seen three different winners.
Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Napoli managed to break the hegemony of Juventus since 2020, while Inter looks like they are about to claim title number 20 in the next couple of weeks.
The battle to secure a top-four finish is proving to be much more exciting, with several teams in the hunt.
The Battle to Claim a Top-Four Finish
Bologna is enjoying a wonderful season and currently stands at odds of +137.5 to secure the fourth spot in the Paddy Power football odds. Atalanta are sitting on odds of +275, whilst Napoli are trailing behind with odds of +2200. Inter Milan appear to have an unassailable lead at the top of the table as there is no longer a market to bet on the Serie A winner.
In terms of football betting tips, the battle to secure the fourth and final Champions League spot is the fight that everyone is keeping an eye on.
Following a disappointing 2022/23, Bologna has been superb of late, relying on some individual brilliance over the previous few months.
Thiago Motta Has Rejuvenated Bologna
The former Italian international has been in charge of the club since September 2022, taking over from the late Sinisa Mihajlovic, leading Bologna to a solid ninth-place finish in the top flight.
This was a solid platform to build on for the former Inter Milan midfielder and Bologna hit the ground running this season, losing just twice in the league up until Christmas.
Motta has relied on Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee and winger Riccardo Orsolini for his main source of goals this term, with the Zirkee and Orsolini scoring 11 and 10 respectively across all competitions, combining well together.
Perhaps the most influential player in the current squad is Scottish international Lewis Ferguson. Signed from Aberdeen in a £3m deal during the summer of 2022, Ferguson has established himself as a key member of the team.
He made 32 appearances in Serie A during his maiden campaign, scoring seven goals in the process. Ferguson acquired captaincy back in October, after helping his side to a 3-0 win over Empoli.
Such was his display, Ferguson has captained the club on a further 16 occasions, overseeing 11 victories and it looks like a masterstroke by Motta.
Bologna are currently just three points clear of Roma heading into the final few weeks of the season and everything is to play for.
If Ferguson can continue to inspire his team, Zirkzee and Orsolini keep on scoring and Motta remains calm, then the club can secure their highest finish in the top flight this century.
This will ensure qualification for Europe’s elite club competition, which will allow Motta to spend money on better players.
Judging by their performances this season, he may wish to stick with his current squad given how impressive they have been recently.
