Vincenzo Italiano insists Bologna are motivated to finish their season on a high note despite a tough run of games and is not scared of facing Napoli.

Bologna have slipped down to 10th in Serie A after a three-game winless streak in which they have not scored (D1 L2), meaning their hopes of a European place are all but over.

They face Napoli, Atalanta and Inter in their remaining three games, with this their first meeting with Antonio Conte's side since the Supercoppa Italiana final in December, a match they lost 2-0.

That result is long behind them, according to Italiano, who wants his team to prove a thorn in the side of their upcoming opponents, using Serie A champions Inter as an example.

"We want to finish strong and find the right motivation to play these games at our best," he said.

"You saw Inter: despite having already won the Scudetto, they're still fired up. It has to be the same for us.

"No one likes to make a bad impression. We have to honour every race to the fullest.

"I was asked if the match against Napoli was decisive, but there are still a lot of points up for grabs.

"[This game] won't be a normal match, but something more. We've prepared everything carefully and are fully focused."

Bologna have only gone four or more consecutive Serie A matches without scoring twice in the last 10 seasons – in September 2018 (five) and April 2022 (four).

While Bologna do not have anything to play for in the league, Napoli are still seeking to secure their Champions League spot for next season.

They are second in the table on 70 points, three clear of Roma in fifth, but a six-point cushion would go a long way to securing a top-four finish.

Napoli could record 22 or more wins for the 11th time in the last 14 top-flight seasons, having never reached this milestone in any of the 66 campaigns beforehand.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Napoli – Scott McTominay

McTominay has scored nine goals in Serie A this season.

The Scotland international could become only the second midfielder to reach double figures for goals in two different top-flight campaigns for Napoli in the last 90 years, after Marek Hamsik (four times).

Bologna – Riccardo Orsolini

Napoli are the side against whom Orsolini has played the most Serie A matches without scoring, failing to net in 13 encounters.

With eight goals in the current league campaign, he could become only the third Bologna player to score at least nine goals in four different top-flight seasons in the three-points-for-a-win era (since 1994-95), after Giuseppe Signori and Marco Di Vaio.

MATCH PREDICTION: NAPOLI WIN

Bologna have avoided defeat in five of their last six Serie A matches against Napoli (W2 D3), after a run of five consecutive defeats against them.

Furthermore, after their 2-0 win in the reverse fixture, Bologna could complete their first league double over Napoli since 2001-02.

None of Napoli's last 12 home Serie A matches against Bologna have ended in a draw, with the Partenopei winning nine and the Rossoblu winning three.

However, Napoli's home record could just sway this result. They have avoided defeat in 27 of their last 28 Serie A home matches (W20 D7), with their only loss coming against Lazio on April 18.

Bologna have gained just 12 of their 49 Serie A points this season in matches against teams currently in the top half of the table, which is more than only Hellas Verona (nine), Pisa (five) and Lecce (four).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Napoli – 60.2%

Draw – 21.8%

Bologna – 18%